The Abyssal Freeloader
by Leadway001
Summary: It's been four years after the abyssals attacked Okinawa, my home island. I am already 19 years old and currently awaiting for my draft notice. I was sitting on a small plastic chair facing the ocean near my apartment, calmly wasting my afternoon. I did not expect at that time that I could meet something that was bundled inside a seaweed bundle. What I saw was...
1. The 23rd Day of December

**The 23rd Day of December**

* * *

I was on the shitter at that time when the world suddenly said—

 ** _Fuck it. I'm ending my life today._**

No, the world is not sentient of anything! It's just a figure of speech so don't just say scary things like that…..well who am I to say that? The world is really ending on this day.

The moment father screamed in agony, I hurriedly cleaned myself and ran out of the shitter that I was on. I then tried finding my mother who was previously on the living room ironing the clothes that we were supposed to wear during the Christmas Eve mass.

She wasn't there. She was standing behind a glass made sliding door, watching our backyard that had a visible view of the beach.

I was fifteen years old at that time.

At that time I wasn't really thinking straight.

And then, at that time….I lost my father.

His limbs were crunched down by the large jaws of a monster that was almost six feet high. My body trembles as I watched it finish off my father's bloodied body. I was behind my mother and the moment she saw Father being eaten she immediately grabbed the sliding door's handle and pushed it to the side.

Out of concern, I grabbed her by the arms and prevented her from going out. I've lost my father, now I don't want to lose my mother as well. Those were my thoughts at that time.

Mother was stronger than me. After all she was a former soldier in the Imperial Japanese Navy. That was before she lost her left leg after it was crushed by the heavy shells of the secondary cannons of the old battleship named Yoru.

She wailed and screamed at my father's name. He was no longer there. The blood stain left on the sand was what's left of him.

I tried my best to pin her down. Luckily my older sister, Karen, arrived and helped me put her down. I left mother on Karen's hands as I ran towards the sliding door and closed it.

Karen was sweating badly, she screamed at me to retrieve mother's old Type 89 assault rifle from the basement. I did what she told me and ran towards the basement where mother's old military equipments were stashed.

I quickly ran upstairs and found the two of them missing from my view. My heart pulsated badly thinking that the two of them were devoured by the monster that came from the sea.

Then a strong explosion came from the second floor. I ran upstairs with the rifle on my hand. Smoke was coming out of my room so I ran there and kicked it open.

Blood—

Yes, my room was painted with blood. The walls, the ground, and even the window. It was at that moment that I was filled with horror. The monster's eye then appeared from the window.

I do not know what its intentions were at that time but I was pretty sure that I am screwed.

With a quick motion I ducked down and grabbed a magazine from my pockets and placed it on the rifles magazine _chamber_ , or so what my sister called it.

After that I then grabbed the rifle's cocking lever and pulled it with all my strength. After that I flipped the safety switch and leveled the rifle to my shoulder.

Muscle memory kicked in and soon after I pulled the trigger bursting a flame from the tip of the rifle.

The sound it made was a bit deafening without the muffled ear plugs that mother gave us during our shooting session. I quickly emptied the magazine realizing that the rifle was on full auto.

I quickly reloaded my rifle and pointed its barrel at the riddled window once more. But the monster was no longer there. Confused I ran towards the window and poked my head out.

It was mistake; the monster was deliberately waiting for me to poke my head as its jaws were wide open below me.

Death was awaiting me, it was approaching me. Time somehow slow down.

And then a strong shockwave came, pushing me back inside the room. My consciousness was spinning out of control. My ears ringing like there was no tomorrow.

The window itself was blown into smithereens. After letting out a couple of deep breaths, I then leaned my head forward and realized that I was bleeding heavily on my stomach.

The pain soon followed, it was relentlessly unbearable. I screamed, wailed and who knows what I was doing at that time. With my left hand I pressed my hand on my wound trying to stop the bleeding.

It was futile, my consciousness was fading, I was pretty sure that I was going to die there.

Then my mother's voice came to my ear, like an echo.

"Gintoki!" She yelled.

Her horrified face came to my eyes as I lay there on the floor with my hands pressed against my wound. She was screaming but I couldn't hear her voice anymore.

Then Karen arrived with a first aid kit on her hand. Then a couple of soldiers from the army arrived and help Karen tend my wounds. And before long I was already outside the house being carried on a stretcher towards an army truck.

I turned my head to the side. With my fading vision, I saw a lone figure. She wore a black and white themed clothes and had a pure white hair. She was looking our way, she was looking at me with her bright gold or yellow eyes.

It was look of sorrow and pity.

The soldiers beside me halted and pointed their rifles at this unknown person. They then fired immediately not even caring to ask who she was. The unknown person retaliated by crushing a soldier's head with her right hand. She then started killing the soldiers one by one.

As the bloody firefight ensued, my consciousness faded…slowly like…

 **Chapter End**


	2. Freeloader

There's an abyssal **freeloader** in my apartment room.

* * *

 **March 29, 2050**

 **Hiroshima, Japan**

 **(Present Day)**

"Gintoki?! Gintoki?! Have you seen my underwear?!"

I hurriedly ran out of the bathroom and yelled those words at the guy seating cross legged in front of a flat screen television. He was poking his nose with his right pinky finger. As he heard my voice, he slowly turned around and gave me a lethargic look.

"What? I didn't even know that you wear panties." He calmly said to me as he eventually pokes out the booger that was stuck inside his nose.

"I do wear underwear you know? Are you an idiot? I am what you call in your words a 'female' and we females must be modest." I proudly said to him.

"Said the so called 'female' who is currently standing stark naked behind me." Gintoki retorted. "At least cover yourself with a towel or something."

I lowered my head and saw what he was talking about. Standing profoundly with my chest and nether regions exposed is none other than me, Abyssal Empress Marianna…also called Hatsu by this good for nothing nineteen year old college student named Toshiki Gin.

With a sigh I casually took one of the spare towels placed near the bathroom door. I slowly wiped off the water from my body. After that I placed the towel around my shoulder and entered Gintoki's room which was facing the bathroom.

My destination is Gintoki's drawer where all of his clothes are neatly folded. My target is his underwear stash located at the base of the drawer.

Being a guy in his early adulthood, Gintoki has been wearing short tight underwear named boxers. These boxers have a length that's reaching my upper thigh. It's not like I'm a pervert or anything. I'm just gonna borrow one of his boxers to cover my nether region, for the time being that is, until I eventually locate my missing panties. Gintoki wouldn't even mind that I often use his boxers as my substitute underwear.

After wearing his boxers, I then opened one of his cabinets that was near the drawer and opened it. Now that I have something on my nether regions, I can now pick which clothes to wear decently, and a particular clothing caught my attention.

It was Gintoki's long sleeves. I actually like this one since it had a black and white design, and its upper body reaches my thighs. It's like an oversize long sleeve that was meant for larger-bulkier sized men. In the past, Gintoki told me that he actually uses this during winter when snow is falling.

"Hatsu, don't you dare wear one of my ironed trousers because I am going to Yokosuka tomorrow morning!" Came Gintoki's low voice.

Ah this is unfortunate. I was about to wear the said warm trousers but oh well.

I headed out of his room and poked my head towards the living room. Gintoki was no longer there. That means that he is currently in the bathroom! I've read things in the magazines about boys in their early teens, up until they reach late adulthood doing something in the bathroom whenever they are left alone with a woman. They are described as illicit things, and it is called Masturbation. Since the magazine said that it is bad, this is the perfect opportunity to blackmail him!

I carefully approached the bathroom door and placed my right hand on it. Believe it or not I actually have a telepathic ability that allows me to send signals through walls. Although I cannot get the clear picture on what's inside however, this ability allows me to get the general idea on what's inside the room.

And a rapid heartbeat could be felt from behind the said bathroom door. Good, I've confirmed that Gintoki is inside the bathroom.

"Gintoki! It's still early to be masturbating you brat!" I yelled as I opened the unlocked door.

I was expecting something that resembles the diagram on how a man masturbates. But, Gintoki had both of his hands hanging above his knee. He was also leaning forward and had a deadpanned expression on his face as he looked my way.

"Oi, didn't I already told you to knock if you are going to use the bathroom since the lock is broken? Can't you see that I am taking a dump here?!" Gintoki yelled as he took a plastic dipper from the water container and threw it my way.

~o~

 **Located two hundred meters away from Gintoki's appartment window**

It was said to be the easiest job a man could be assigned into. I mean, I was only ordered to tail a certain suspicious girl and observe her. But as it turns out that this certain suspicious girl is actually an purebred abyssal.

Using my binoculars I watched the abyssal enter the apartment room once more. I've been watching her for two weeks and have gathered sufficient intel about her.

According to the apartment building warden, the abyssal's nickname is Hatsu which means _beginning_. She is said to be a cheerful, talkative, and most of all a kind person by the people living near the vicinity. A particular man who was old warden named Hashima Toki said those words to me with a bright smile on his face.

Little did he know that the _person_ that he called as cheerful, talkative, and kind was none other than the ones that attacked his own race—

I climbed the opposite building which was an office building and observed the apartment room where the abyssal lived. It was a normal apartment room that could accommodate a maximum of five people. With that said however, there are only two people occupying the said apartment room.

First is the abyssal named Hatsu and second is a nineteen year old college drop-out named Toshiki Gin.

Toshiki Gin or sometimes called Gintoki by his close relatives is an island born Japanese citizen from Okinawa. During the December Fallout, Okinawa fell to the abyssals after a five hour battle to evacuate the civilians out of the island.

Gintoki, together with his military retired mother Captain Toshiki Mutsu, was part of the last batch of evacuees that were safely evacuated out of Okinawa. Gintoki is not the only child however. He had an older sister named Toshiki Karen who was twenty years old at that time. She died however, choosing to stay behind with her outfit until her brother and mother was safely evacuated from the island.

Karen's unit successfully held the airport for about an hour before all remaining soldiers were overrun by humanoid abyssals.

Gintoki continued on with his life together with his mother when they arrived on mainland Japan after a three hour trip. They relocated themselves to their relative's home on Hiroshima and lived the rest of his life there until he entered college.

However, he decided to drop-out of the university that he was enrolled on, and decided to wait for his Draft Notice so that he could join the Armed Forces.

It's been a year already but his draft notice hasn't arrived yet. The three year draft that the government issued during the first years of the war was abolished due to the fact that the people were greatly opposed by it. Not wanting another devastating revolt like the December Unitologist Revolt that happened after the abyssals attacked Okinawa. The new monarchist government decided to draft soldiers via Draft Notice Recruitment Program.

Basically if you really want to join the military you will enlist yourself on a nearby JSDF recruitment center and wait for your Draft Notice which basically means that you are now hereby enlisted into the army and are to be called back to the JSDF recruitment center with the prescribed clothes and begin basic training.

Now you might be asking. Why not just open a volunteer like system so that things like this won't be a major problem to the people who want to join the Armed Forces?

Don't ask me. Ask the parliament. I'm even starting to suspect that the Emperor is more of an idiot for passing such a law.

Enough talks about politics.

I need to continue observing my two targets.

The abyssal named Hatsu came out of Gintoki's room and approached the bathroom door. She had her hand placed underneath her chin. She is in deep thought while staring at the bathroom door. She then suddenly opened the bathroom door where earlier I saw Gintoki entered. She yelled but I couldn't lip read her.

Hatsu paused with a shocked look on her face. Then a water dipper flew out of the bathroom and crashed on Hatsu's forehead. The abyssal immediately took the water dipper that fell on the floor and threw it back inside the bathroom. She then closed the door and cowered whilst placing her right hand on the bulge that was formed on her forehead.

Hatsu dropped her shoulders as she stood up from her cowered position and headed towards the living room where a television has been broadcasting an anime drama.

The abyssal walked and stopped. Deciding to sit cross legged in front of the television and watched the anime broadcast with an irritated look on her face.

The anime drama's title is Kimi no Iru Machi or in English: The town where you lived. I knew what the title was since my brother told me about it. He's a sucker when it comes to anime drama.

A few moments later just as the drama reached its climax, Gintoki came out of the bathroom appearing to have been recovering from his own climax. Dark bags were formed underneath his eyes as he approached the sink near the living room.

Gintoki then started talking to Hatsu but it appears that she was not in the mood to listen. The guy sighed as he revealed a pudding that he was hidden inside the padlocked refrigerator. Hatsu hastily stood up from the floor and _parkoured_ her way towards Gintoki who has opened the pudding's plastic cover and scooped a part of the pudding.

They appear to be fighting with each other, trying to yank the pudding away from one party to the other. Then suddenly Hatsu threw a right hook on Gintoki's face.

With a murderous look, Gintoki retaliated with a left hook; stealing the pudding from Hatsu's hands.

Hatsu recovered and threw another hook on Gintoki but he blocked it using his freehand. The two of them then starting grappling into each other's clothing whilst at the same time throwing jabs and hooks on each other's cheeks.

It came to a point where Hatsu forcibly threw Gintoki onto the floor, crashing his body with a loud thud. Then she climbed on top of Gintoki's stomach, and started beating the shit out of him.

Something inside me was calling me to retaliate. The human is being beaten into a pulp by an abyssal. I need to save him.

With that in mind, I lowered my binoculars and took my sniper rifle that was placed horizontally in front of me. With a quick motion, I chambered a 7.62 mm cartage into the gun and aligned the crosshairs of my scope on the abyssal's head.

Then an unexpected thing happened. It appears that the abyssal threw a headbutt but upon closer inspection.

She just placed her forehead on top of Gintoki's forehead. She had her hands pinning Gintoki's arms above his head. She then leaned back and appears to be talking.

And just like that, the abyssal gave the human a kiss on the lips.

I don't know why but I really felt—

"Disgusted"

The kiss was a prolonged one. The abyssal finally decided to separate herself from the human's lips. She averted her gaze as the human stared at her with a rather calm look. The human was talking, he then reached his right hand into the abyssal's cheek. With a soft touch, the human placed his thumb on the abyssals pale lips.

The abyssal closed its eyes, and a moments later.

She tore the human's thumb off from his hand.

Blood spilled out of the human's hand where the thumb used to be. The blood painted the human's brown shirt as the abyssal savored the taste of the human's blood.

Instead of fear and hopelessness, the human was in fact not fighting back. He had the opportunity to shove the abyssal off using his other hand but he didn't. Instead he used his free hand to pull the abyssal's head closer to the point that the abyssal's head was resting on his chest.

All the while, his blood was being painted all over the place.

I had my finger rested on the trigger but I couldn't pull it. My instincts are telling me to pull the trigger but something inside of me is preventing me.

An abyssal living together with a human, an abyssal wearing the human's personal clothes, an abyssal eating the same food as the human who cooked it, an abyssal who lived with a carefree life, an abyssal who kissed the human on the lips.

I watched the two of them as an observer. My hand trembled as I watched the abyssal licked the blood that was stained on the human's face.

I shouted to myself: what am I waiting for?! Fire! Save him!

I watched, as it continued.

I watched, as the abyssal finished her meal.

Not as a person who was tasked to save someone but as a person who was tasked to observe someone.

~o~

"Gintoki…" She said to me as she lowered her forehead to mine, "It's the day of the month already. I cannot hold it in any longer."

The one that I am talking about is the abyssal named Hatsu who was sitting on my stomach, pinning me onto the floor. I could feel her cold forehead pressed against mine, I could feel her warm breath as she breathed. It was a very precarious position indeed and one would think that any second now things would get spicy.

But that is not the case for the two of us.

"Fine. You have twenty minutes…" I said to her.

I've been living with her for almost a year now. I wondered how I got into this position.

Her warm pale lips met mine. It was just a simple and innocent kiss of affection. Hatsu is an affectionate individual after all, and I've learned that the very hard way.

As her lips separated with mine she leaned backward and averted her eyes. I steeled myself for what's to come next. With my right hand, I extended it towards her right cheek. Slowly, I dragged my right thumb into her lips.

At this point there was no going back. I'm going to experience it again.

"Thanks….for—"

All those fifteen months of living together with an abyssal like her. I've learned four important things.

Firstly, she's a heavy eater.

Second, she's pretty strong…even stronger than the friendly neighborhood bodybuilder.

Third, she's an abyssal and twice in a week, she must leave my apartment to…well to do her job as an abyssal.

Lastly—

"—for the meal." She continued, before crunching my right thumb with her canine like teeth.

—she needs human flesh to stay alive.

The pain soon followed as Hatsu's _acid like saliva_ burned the skin of my wound. Blood poured out as she held my right hand with her left hand. I grunted, preventing myself from screaming. I wouldn't want my neighbors to be shaken.

Hatsu was in a blissful mood as she gulped my devoured thumb. I leaned my head upward, and with my other hand I placed it behind Hatsu's head and pulled her closer as I saw the unclosed curtains. I wouldn't want the civilians at the opposite building to see her this way.

"That's one part." I said to her.

Hatsu nodded as she licks the spilling blood on my hand. I could feel her warm tongue tracing the blood flowing out of my wound.

She's not done yet. That I knew, after all I gave her twenty minutes to do this. I gave her the opportunity to eat a part of my body in that short span of time. And out of the twenty minutes that I promised just a mere eight minutes was deducted.

"Can I take the ear this time?" Hatsu asked.

"…..Uh, could you please stick to the fingers?" I asked her with a wary voice.

"But I've been eating your fingers for fifteen months now. I've already had enough eating your fingers." Hatsu complained with my blood painted on her cheeks.

This woman…..this abyssal…..

"Fine, bite my collar. But don't break the bone…" I said to her preparing for a very painful experience than the last one.

Slowly Hatsu lifted her head from my chest and reached for my right collar. Her slender hands carefully traced the muscle on my collar. She then leaned her head closer and took a deep bite.

The pain was indeed unbearable. Unknowingly, I pressed Hatsu's head closer with my other hand that was placed behind her back. Hatsu let out a muffled moan as she ripped the muscle out of my collar. A wail escaped my mouth as she started sucking the blood from my wound. Hatsu took notice of this as she separates her lips from my collar and pressed it against my right ear.

With a soft whisper she said, "I'm almost done. Stay awake a little longer, okay?" Before she started devouring the muscles under my clavicle.

With my right hand I wrapped it around Hatsu's lower body, pulling her closer. Why did I even give her a twenty minute meal?!

Ah….this is bad….I am starting to lose consciousness. Alright….next time I'm not doing the twenty minute meal ever again.

Then I felt Hatsu's lips moving away from my collar. She had two of her fingers placed underneath my chin.

"Gintoki? Oi Gintoki! I'm going to prepare the bath so stay awake you hear me?" Hatsu says near my ear.

Hastily, Hastu ran towards the bathroom and flipped the light switch. With my left hand I placed it on top of my right collar to stop the bleeding.

So twenty minutes has passed huh? What another grueling experience….good thing Hatsu can keep her diet in check—accepting my treaty of a one month meal only was a god send.

"Gintoki!" Hatsu kneeled next to me.

She then carried me with both of her hands and headed towards the bathroom where a bathtub with green luminous liquid could be seen.

"Oh don't you dare!" She cursed as she slowly placed me on the bathtub.

I could see my blood mixing with the green liquid. Letting out a sigh, I turned my eyes towards Hatsu who was giving me a very concerned look.

"With that so much blood on your face….." I said to her.

"Shut-up, just rest and heal up. I've raided a facility in Yokosuka yesterday that was housing large amounts of _Repair Formula_ for safe keeping." Hatsu said to me.

"Ahh… you've dirtied my long sleeves….I just washed and ironed those." I complained with a light laugh.

Hatsu shook her head as she washed the blood off her face using the green fluid on the bathtub. I stared at her with my half-closed eyes. Hatsu stood up from her kneeling position and exited the bathroom, she then used the towel that was placed near the bathroom door to dry herself.

Ah, I have to clean the towels tomorrow too…

As I said that to myself, I watched Hatsu re-enter the bathroom and sat on the toilet. She gave me a warm smile as she rested her right hand on my head.

"Say….." I softly spoke, "How did we meet again?" I asked.

Hatsu had this look on her face. I couldn't describe it properly; it's not that its indescribable it's just that I'm having a hard time finding the right word for it.

"Hahaha, I wonder as well…I kinda forgot too." She answered.

I guess it was pointless in the first place to ask her. I leaned my head into the bathtub's rim and slowly closed my eyes. Tomorrow morning or around seven in the morning, my wounds should regenerated thanks to the Repair Formula that Hatsu stole.

I just hope that mother won't visit tomorrow morning while I am still asleep…

* * *

 **One year Ago**

 **March 11, 2049**

 **Hiroshima, Japan**

I closed the door and grabbed my trusty plastic folding chair from the ground.

Today is March 11, 2049. It's been four years since Okinawa fell by the hands of the Abyssals. At that time, no one even knew what they were really called, the people just simply called them Abyssals and everyone just went on with it.

Well luckily for us two years ago, Okinawa was liberated by the Armed Forces of Japan. Specifically the Imperial Japanese Navy who at that time was just recovering their losses from the Battle of Okinawa Sea a year prior.

The IJN lost all of its carriers, two-thirds of its destroyers and every single one of its missile guided cruisers. It was a very devastating blow but a year later they retook Okinawa with the help of Admiral Goto's _shipgirls._

These _shipgirls_ are humanoid soldiers that were armed to the teeth. Cannons that were as large as my leg could be seen attached on their back. They can literally skate on water….I was literally jaw hanging when I saw their guns firing back on 2047's Naval demonstration….really, they are an intriguing bunch.

Not much is revealed about them though, only the fact that they are capable of destroying abyssals.

Mother, who was reenlisted in the IJN, won't even reveal a tiny bit about them. It really bothers me that not a single video was revealed to the public when they are engaging an enemy fleet.

I mean we already linked up with the Western World, which is Europe. They too have shipgirls like us, but seriously? Not a single video in Youtube?

Intelligence Agencies must've been working their asses off trying their best to prevent information released to the public.

I let out a sigh as I unfolded my trusty folding chair and placed it on a cemented ground near the beach. This beach is just 500 meters from my apartment. This used to be a beach resort but the owner has now passed away. Today, it's just a normal public beach that anyone can visit.

It's already afternoon when I finally arrived at the usual place. This usual place is located near an elevated ground just adjacent of the said beach.

Karen was the one who found this place back when I was still in middle school. We were visiting Grandpa at that time…..but unfortunately, Karen is no longer here in this world. She perished when we're evacuating from Okinawa. She volunteered to stay behind and hold off the abyssals that were storming the airport. I was with my mother at that time, barely conscious.

Every passenger plane have already left at that time and the ones that stayed behind were a couple of old military transport planes. Mother explained to me that she was given privilege to escape with the whole family but….

"That idiot still stayed behind." I soft cursed.

Mother explained that Karen's makeshift platoon only manage to defend the barricade for about an hour before they were overrun. The transport plane that we were on, barely even took off.. but it still managed.

I watched the sunset as I remembered mother's words at that time. With my left hand, I retrieved my cold coffee can from the ground and flipped the pin. I then took a sip and let out a loud "Tahhh"

Whenever I do this I feel like I am drinking beer but really, I was just drinking coffee.

I then leaned my body on the backrest and stared at the yellowish sky.

"Ahhh, I wonder when will mother visit the apartment…I'm already low in necessities. When will she give me the money to buy food, huh?!" I screamed into the heavens knowing my demise would be starvation.

I doubt even Karen could answer my own question. Ahh, don't worry Onee-san, I'll be following you in the heavens soon.

Just as I lowered my head from the heavens, I saw a strange object covered in seaweed washed ashore on the beach below me.

My right eyebrow quickly rose… That's the largest bundle of seaweed I've ever seen in my entire life!

Still I stood up from my chair and walked towards this large bundle of seaweed and examined it. Using a stick I grabbed from the ground, I poked at the bundle of seaweed until boredom kicked in. With a scoff I stood up from my crouching position. But before I could walk away from the bundle of seaweed I saw a pale white object sticking out of the bundled seaweed. I crouched down once more and placed my right hand on it while my other hand was holding the coffee can.

It was squishy….like it's made of fat….Nah, probably just a washed-off squishy object that was somehow bundled with these seaweeds.

The more I squish on it the more I realized…..this is the same sensation…..

My deadpan expression twitched as I lowered my coffee and tried removing the seaweed that was surrounding the said pale squishy object.

And then…I saw a plain white mole…..

No…

THAT IS NOT A MOLE BUT A FUCKING NIPPLE DAMMIT!

My hand trembled as I realized what the fuck I have done. No, what the hell is wrong with me!? Out of fear I removed the other seaweed that was near the….chest and discovered a hand.

THIS IS INDEED A PERSON! A FEMALE PERSON THAT WAS WRAPPED WITH SEAWEED!

The said female was wearing nothing. I realized that when I removed the additional seaweed that was covering her chest, her upper body was basically unclothed. She has a very pale skin….Is she dead?

What the hell? What the hell? Did I just molest a dead person?!

The more the realization came to me the more my body trembled in fear. If we throw away the fact that I molested her. This is indeed murder. A simple high schooler could identify that easily.

With that said, I don't want to keep seeing her chest so I covered it with the seaweed that I removed. I then started removing the seaweed at the top where the head is supposed to be located.

For a while I struggled to remove them but I finally saw the face of the said woman. She was beautiful…she had white hair as well. Her eyebrows were as well white. Is she born with a naturally white hair?

I gulped as I placed two of my right fingers at the woman's neck.

"—"

It's pulsating—

She has pulse?!

As I realized that I lowered my head near her mouth. I then turned my head to the left allowing me to align my right ear above her mouth.

"She's breathing—" I said.

I quickly removed the seaweed that I placed on top of her chest and removed my own jacket, I then placed it on top of her chest before moving closer to her.

"Did she drown?! No…..she was breathing so there's no need for a CPR." I muttered.

If she is unclothed on her upper body then that means that she might be unclothed at the lower body as well. With that mentality I did not remove the seaweed that was covering her lower body.

With both of my hands I tried my best to dress her with my jacket. Covering her upper body is enough.

After that, I then removed my belt and wrapped it around it her hip where it is supposed to be located. I then checked that it was properly fastened and then I started to carry her. She was bit heavy but it was bearable.

In this small town there's only a single clinic but it is two kilometers away, I doubted myself that I could carry her that far. Faced with such problem I decided to carry her to my apartment.

"At least I need to let her dry. I wouldn't want her to get cold."

She might be breathing now but who knows what will happen if she is not dried.

With a huff I walked towards the road leading to my apartment.

I was lucky enough that it was already evening and the road towards my apartment was empty.

~o~

I did what I could to dry her. I already removed the remaining seaweed on her lower body and wrapped it with a warm towel. I placed her on my bed and after that I placed a warmer near her. What should I do next? What should I do next?!

Ah that's right, I need to buy medicine for her. Alright, there should be some yen left on my wallet to let me buy a cheap medicine.

I hurriedly ran out of my room and ran to the ground floor using the stairs since the elevator was broken. Luckily my room was located on the second floor and not on the fifth floor.

My bicycle is also parked on the ground floor. After saying my greetings on the female watcher, I then paddled on a nearby department store to buy some cheap medicine.

~o~

The scene where bombs dropped by miniature planes raining on top of my position came to me. I was barely stopping them from sinking my own minions but still...

There are 13 of them all in all. Those pesky destroyers were preventing my planes from doing anything at their capital ships. I've already lost my escorts by that time.

It was not long for me to finally meet my eventual demise.

The blue abyss allures me…I was finally coming home. I've been fighting them for weeks. I was losing my minions in a very linear manner. They finally sank me…. I wonder what their reasoning for sinking me was?

I don't care anymore...I should just close my eyes and rest….The queen is awaiting my return…..

Or so I thought.

I abruptly opened my eyes and found myself resting on an unknown place.

I felt warm….I was wrapped around with fabrics that made me feel warm. I was dressed with clothes that I've never seen before.

Slowly I removed the fabric that was wrapped around my upper body and sat on an upright position. My head is still throbbing badly, I felt thirsty as well.

I need something to quench my thirst….

I lowered my head and realized that there are white objects that had a soft texture wrapped around my side. That is where I was previously shot by a shipgirl, I removed the white thing that was wrapped around my stomach and realized that the wound was closed using a thin thing.

I furrowed, realizing that I was clearly in a place where I don't belong. I belong in the—

Then the door opened revealing a man wearing something that I do not know and was carrying an object that had the same color as my hair.

He appears to be in shock. He froze on the spot when he saw me. I had this urge to attack him but he appears to be unarmed.

His lips were moving, he must be talking but I couldn't understand him. He was slowly approaching the bed to while talking. Out of pity I yelled at him to halt. But he kept moving closer.

I need to stop him in some way.

Fear—

It always stop people.

With a click of my tongue, I partially summoned my saber and pointed it towards him. He stopped. Good just what I wanted.

The man was sweating heavily, of course he would be. I am a creature that attacked his race.

But then the man slowly started moving again and stops with just a few feet between us. This time he placed his hand inside this hanging object in his hand. It was water….it was stashed inside a blue container. I can tell its water due to the smell. However this water was mixed by other elements making it impure.

The man presented the container towards me. He was speaking….he then tilted his head to the side and started tempering the container on his hand. He first twists the object located at the top of the blue container and then extended the now opened blue container towards me.

I couldn't understand him at all.

And then, he gestures something like…..drinking….yes he was gesturing me to drink it….

With my eyebrows furrowed I lowered my saber and extended my hand towards this blue container. The man then made a wary smile as I slowly placed the blue container near my lips. My thirst was already unbearable that I didn't bother to waste time and just drank the water inside the blue container.

What an unusual taste it is….

~o~

I managed to gesture her to drink the water. The pharmacist on the department store ordered me to place the medicine inside a water bottle and let her drink it.

 _She's a humanoid abyssal_ , yes I know that after she summoned her saber using magic and pointed it towards me. She choked for a second before finally emptying the water bottle. She then crushed the water bottle with her right hand and dropped it on the floor.

She was still a bit hostile towards me. Trying to dissipate the hostility, I pointed my index finger towards me and said with a soft tone.

"Gintoki…..You—can—call—me—Gin—toki."

The abyssal furrowed. She then closed her eyes and her saber slowly dissipates. When she opened her eyes again she pointed her index finger towards her and spoke with a rather incomprehensible language.

It was a language that I have never heard before. I've known a lot of languages around the world since I am a literature student in college, and I have to memorize every single one of them as my Final Exam.

Well that was before I dropped out of school, deciding that I want to become a soldier instead.

Anyway, I wonder what she said to me. I tilted my head to side unable to comprehend her words.

She then let out a sigh and spoke in a rather slow manner, imitating what I did in front to her as I state my name.

"aaa….ttttt….ssss…uuuuu…..hjjjjggg" She said.

I unknowingly blinked twice as I tried coming up with something after hearing what she said. I opened my mouth and pointed my index finger towards her.

"Ah, Hatsu…" I said.

The abyssal dropped her shoulders and tilted her head to the left. She had this look in her face saying that I got it wrong.

She repeated once more but it was hopeless, I couldn't understand what she was saying.

After a couple of finger pointing, I finally come up with a conclusion.

With my right index finger I pointed it towards me and say "Gintoki" before pointing it towards her and said "Hatsu".

The abyssal sighed as she placed her right hand on her face. She tried peeling it off out of annoyance but to no avail.

"Gintoki…." She pointed her left index finger towards me, "Hasst…..ssss…uuuuuu" She turned her index finger towards her.

I shook my head and said "It's hopeless" before pointing my index finger at her again and said "Hatsu".

The abyssal wailed as she scratched her head in frustration. After that she lowered her head and dropped her shoulders.

Ah, this is bad. She finally had enough and decided to just stop.

"Ha—"

"Gintoki?!"

Before I could open my mouth once more, a knock came from my apartment's entrance. The abyssal now named Hatsu widens her golden eyes towards me as she heard that voice.

Out of concern I hurried ran towards her and grabbed the blanket that I used to warm her up and cover it partially over her head.

Hatsu was grunting she must be complaining why I'm doing this. Since the two of us can't understand each other the only thing I could do to make her quiet was to perform a gesture in which I placed my index finger in front of my lips and uttered "Shhhhh"

Hatsu had this confused look but she only nodded before I fully covered her with the blanket.

"Gintoki? Are you home? I have the master key so if you aren't home, I'm just gonna use it!"

The moment I was about to grab the doorknob the door opened revealing my mother in her officer's attire.

"Ah, mother. How are you?" I asked as I scratched the back of my head.

"Hmm? What's wrong? You've been acting formal. Could you get out of the way already? How long do you think you are going to keep your mother from entering you apartment room?" She asked.

"Ah, I'm so sorry." I said as I paved way for her.

Shit I forgot that mother is supposed to be visiting me today! Forget about it, I must do my best to prevent her from entering my room. I cannot have her see the abyssal that I somehow brought home!

"Man today was a rough day." Mother says as she placed the plastic bag hanging on her hand to the table.

"Eh? Did something bad happen?" I asked.

Mother nodded in affirmation. She then started revealing the things that she has brought with her. A large cup noddle and a spicy-hot cup noodle.

"Admiral Goto's shipgirls just returned home yesterday in bad condition. A lot of them were badly damaged and they even lost a shipgirl in the ensuing battle. Luckily for them they were able to recover the sunken shipgirl." Mother says as she approached the water dispenser.

A heavy battle huh? Furthermore, to be returning home with a sunken shipgirl, this is the first time I've heard of this.

"Well sunken shipgirls aren't uncommon for the past four years. It just happens pretty often." Mother says as she poured some hot water on the cup noodle.

"Shipgirls were being sunk all the time?" I asked.

"Haaaa….it looks like there's no point on hiding it anymore right?" Mother says as she placed the noodle cup on the table and covered it with a bowl. After that she took some chopsticks from the rack placed at the middle.

"Mother you can't mean."

"There are no such things as super soldiers, Gintoki." Mother muttered. "Even a tank has multiple weaknesses, let alone a girl armed with cannons."

Mother shakes her head as she removed the bowl that was placed on top of the steaming cup noodle. She then clasps her hands together and says 'Thanks for the meal' before slurping the noodle loudly.

"If we had super human soldiers in the first place, we would've won the war three years ago." Mother elaborated.

I could only shake my head in realization.

"So, speaking about military stuff has my draft notice been finalized yet?" I asked her.

Mother only raised a finger towards me as she slurps the noodle out.

"Hey, I am an officer in the Navy. Not an office worker." Mother complained as she took another slurp.

"It's been a year already. When will the notice even arrive?"

"What do you mean by _it's been a year already_. You just passed your recruitment papers three months ago!"

Oh right. I passed my papers back in December.

"Oh right." I corrected myself.

Mother placed her right hand on her forehead as she heard my sentence. After that she let out a sigh and then resumed slurping her noodles.

"Oh by the way. I'm returning to Okinawa tomorrow. So I won't be staying here for long since I need to pack my things." She added.

Somehow, the atmosphere became heavy. It's been a while since we talked about that island. Even though it was retaken a few years prior, we never actually had the chance to talk about our previous _home._

"So you are finally going back, huh?" I said to her.

Mother had this pained look on her face. She placed the chopsticks on the table and drank the noddle soup that was left inside the noodle cup.

"I'm going to be garrisoned there for the rest of the war…" She added, "Gintoki…will you be fine on you own? Grandpa and Grandmother aren't here anymore you know? It's only you and me." She painfully spoke.

It pained me to hear her say that. After Grandpa and Grandma died due to natural reasons we don't really have any relatives left living in the mainland…after all, all of them perished back in Okinawa.

"Would you stop treating me like a kid already…. I'll be fine." I said as I turned my head towards her and gave her a warm smile, "Just make sure you'll come back alive, okay?"

Mother half-opened her lips trying to say something but she didn't uttered them. Instead she only lowered her head and stood up, grabbed the empty noodle cup and threw it at the trash bin.

She then gave me warm embrace from the back.

"Gintoki…I'm sorry our family became this way. Try your best on becoming something that you wanted okay?" Mother says with a fleeting tone.

I closed my eyes and turned around. I gave her my embrace as she cried. I let out a deep sigh as I gently push her away.

"Like I said, I'll be fine. Just make sure to send money home or I might die of starvation here." I said in a joking manner.

Mother let out soft chuckle as she slowly approached the apartment door. When she reached the area where you remove your shoes she turns around and gave me a rather worried expression. The only thing that I could give her was a smile and a wave…that is the least that I could give to my own mother.

"Well then…I'll be going now." She says as she wore her shoes and opened the door.

Before long I was left alone on the cold corridor of my own apartment room. I lowered my head into the brown floor. Thinking about the copse of my own sister that was left on that island.

I glanced on my hand and realized it was shaking badly. Using my left hand I placed it on top of my shaking hand, to stop it from shaking but instead it only got worst.

"I'm going to be living alone….again….." I said softly.

At that moment I heard a door opening from my back. I turned around and saw the abyssal that I brought home peeking at the small slit that she made.

She was looking at me with those bright gold or yellow eyes. I wondered if she heard what mother and I were talking about. Well not that it mattered since she couldn't even understand me.

Slowly I approached her and grabbed the doorknob. I gently opened the door. The abyssal had the blanket that I used to cover her wrapped over her head like a shroud. She looked like a maiden this way.

"What?" I asked her.

The abyssal had a curious look on her face. She then pointed her finger at the door where mother just recently exited.

"Oh…O-ka-san." I said to her slowly.

The abyssal tilted her head to the right, she then opened her lips slightly and said "Okaa-san." She was imitating me. Though I highly doubt that she really understood what a mother is supposed to be.

Then my stomach abruptly rumbled. Ah, I must've forgotten that I haven't eaten since noon and it's already nine in the evening.

I dropped my shoulders and approached the living room where mother left a spicy-hot cup noodle. I actually like spicy foods whether it's covered in oil, soup, or rice.

I did the standard procedure on how to cook a cup noodle. Firstly, I opened the cup noddle's plastic cover right around the middle. After that I removed the ingredients placed inside a small plastic bag out of the cup noodle. Next, I pour the solid ingredients on the cup noodle followed by the _spicy powder_ that gives it the signature taste. After doing that I headed towards the water dispenser and poured hot water on it, right around the brim. Lastly I closed the half-opened plastic cover of the cup noddle and placed a bowl on top of it letting the steam to liquefy the solid noddle and letting the ingredients mix with the hot water.

All the while, the abyssal was observing me do this. She still had my blanket covering her head. She was watching me intensely which was giving me this unpleasant feeling.

"You—shouldn't stare at me like that. It kinda disturbs me." I said.

The abyssal could only look at me with an unfazed look. Oh, I forgot she couldn't understand me.

With a sigh, I approached the television that was placed on the living room to distract her. Using the remote control, I boot up the flat screen T.V and flipped pass the available channels.

The abyssal was startled….she was like a cat that was suddenly startled by its owner. I actually kinda felt bad for her. I crouched down and waved my hand at her gesturing her to come closer. She was a bit hesitant but she still came closer.

She then crouched down next to me and watched the television with wonder. It must've been a new thing for her to see moving things inside a flat screen box. The abyssal squatted down on the floor and watched the broadcasting, she had her jaws hanging at the scene where James Bond jumped out of a chopper and rolled into the ground.

Ah, watching her with that expression as she watched the television made me forgot about the cup noodle!

I hurriedly stood up and placed the remote control near the abyssal. I then ran towards the table and removed the bowl that I placed on top of the noddle cup.

"Phew, thank goodness it's not saggy."

And by saggy, I meant saggy to the point that the noodle is basically like saggy bad spaghetti because of the absorbed water.

I then clasped my hands together and said "Thanks for the meal" before slurping the noddle out of the plastic cup.

"Ah, it's hot…" I muttered as the slurping sound continued.

It only took me a couple of minutes until the spicy noodle cup was empty. Ah, that was a great meal….

I turned my head to the right and saw the abyssal paying close attention to me with her gold or yellow eyes. The hairs around my body stood up simultaneously as I could feel her aura engulfing me.

"Ah—Hahaha, I forgot to share…." No wait that is not the point!

The abyssal let out a sigh as she walked back to the living room and sat crossed legged in front of the television. She was also operating the remote control as well, managing to the change the channels as well as increasing and decreasing the volume.

To be honest I was really impressed.

As she was watching the television, me on the other hand walked towards the refrigerator and took a can of coffee mocha. Slowly I walked behind her and approached the couch that was placed on the opposite side of the flat screen T.V, basically facing it. I then sat on it and opened the coffee can.

I watched her from the back as she skipped-pass channel after channel, trying to locate something that might interest her.

Then she stopped at the channel where it was broadcasting a movie drama. It was a foreign movie titled Interstellar. It's a movie about a pair of astronauts find a new home other than earth that was, in their timeline, dying because of human made problems. It was a really touching story—however I've already seen the movie countless times already that it only made me drowsy.

I stretched out my back and placed the coffee can on top of a glass stand and slowly closed my eyes.

I did not expect to be entering deep sleep almost instantaneously.

~o~

"It was hopeless, Admiral. We couldn't sink her." A woman wearing a white serafuku top and red skirt said to the man wearing a white naval officer's uniform.

"It's fine Shoukaku. Your fleet received fatal injuries trying to sinking that lone Abyssal Princess. You and your fleet members should take a rest." The Naval Officer said to the woman named Shoukaku.

Shoukaku shook her head in denial. She then placed four photographs on the table behind the naval officer.

"I've recovered Ashigara-san's camera before she was defeated in battle. It's a close up photograph of the Abyssal Princess that we encountered at the Marianna's Region." Shoukaku says.

The naval officer turns around and walked towards his table. Examining the photograph that Shoukaku placed on his table.

"Akashi's written observation says that the abyssal princess was around 178 centimeters in height and by using BMI, she is around 59 kilograms in weight. During the encounter she was armed with a single straight edge saber and a single 50-inch cannon attached on her back. The cannon could fire Deteriorating-Delayed Fused Shells, because of the ammo type alone, Tosa was immediately pulled out of the battle after getting hit once." Shoukaku explained.

Tosa being the only heavily armored battleship in Shoukaku's fleet pulled out in the action early culminated to the heavy damages that they received due to Tosa's absence in supporting barrage.

"I've never expected to see another Anchorage type abyssal that is similar to the one that your fleet destroyed back on the Taiwan Strait." The naval officer says in amazement.

"You are wrong here, Admiral Goto." Shoukaku says, "This one….is a mobile type not an anchorage type."

Admiral Goto furrowed after hearing Shoukaku's words. A mobile-type abyssal that is carrying a single cannon that's even larger than Yamato and Musashi's primary armaments. This is indeed a concern in the whole pacific theater if this abyssal is not taken down.

"This is indeed a problematic opponent, Shoukaku." Admiral Goto said as he took a single photograph among the four that was placed on the table.

"Indeed, Admiral. We might have to beg Akashi-san once more for ammunition improvements if we are to sink this abyssal." Shoukaku suggested.

Admiral Goto shook his head as he stared at the yellow eyes of the abyssal's portrait. She had a wide smile on her face as if condemning his existence in this world. Her bright yellow eyes stared down into his very existence; even though this is just a photograph…he wondered what it would feel like to be facing her in real life.

"Shoukaku that'll be all for now. You are dismissed." Admiral Goto says before dropping the photograph on the table and saluted at Shoukaku.

Shoukaku saluted back as she walked towards the door and exited.

Left alone inside his office, Admiral Goto only uttered a single word.

"Yura"

A small hand grabbed his shoulders from behind. The owner of that said name emerged out of the shadows and embraced the admiral's left hand.

"What is it, Arimato?" Yura asked with a fleeting tone.

"You said that you spotted something on your way back from your recon mission." Admiral Goto started talking with a deep voice.

"Indeed that is true." Yura affirmed.

"You said something about sinking a wounded abyssal with a 50-inch cannon attached on its back…" Admiral Goto continued.

"Yes, she was indeed heavily damaged. She had a large wound on her left kidney and multiple burns on her arms. I was surprised that she was still alive." Yura said with a calm tone.

She then saw the four photographs that were placed on the table. She took one and examined it, gasped in a shocked expression.

"Ah, its here. Where did you get these?" Yura asked.

Admiral Goto gulped as he turned his head towards Yura.

"Uh, Shoukaku just encountered her on the Marianna's Region."

"Ahh, no wonder she was wounded before I sank her." Yura said with a cheery tone.

Inside Admiral Goto's head he wondered: What would've happened if Yura fought that abyssal on equal terms…

But he already knew the answer. He highly doubted that the outcome would've been different. After all, Yura herself is basically a thirteen shipgirl fleet merged into a single shipgirl.

A brutal fighter indeed, Admiral Goto thought.

~o~

I woke up and it was basically morning. I did not expect to sleep that deep. I slowly leaned my head forward feeling the stiffed muscles on my neck. Dammit I shouldn't have slept on the couch I said to myself.

With my right hand I rubbed my right eye socket and yawned for a good two seconds.

"Oi…" Called a deep female's voice.

Bewildered I raised my head upwards and saw a girl standing in front of me. She appears to be glaring at me with her bright yellow eyes.

"Had a good night's sleep didn't you?" She asked.

"Yeah, didn't expect myself to sleep that deep." I replied.

Then it came to me. It came to me like a wrecking ball. The abyssal in front of me spoke in Japanese and not in broken Japanese but rather in fluent Japanese!

"Wha-How?!" I was taken aback that I was literally pressing my back against the couch. I did not expect her to learn Japanese in just a single night!

"Since you already had a good night's rest, when will you prepare breakfast?" She asked as she leans forward and asked me with a rather cold tone.

At that moment right there.

Although it was a late realization for my part.

There's an abyssal freeloader in my apartment room.

 **Chapter End**

* * *

Notes:

The credit for the cover photo goes to the illustrator who made it.

 **Update 1/15/2019 : Fixed some errors**


	3. Time

In just a short span of **time**.

* * *

 **Toshiki Gin's apartment**

 **March 29, 2050**

 **Hiroshima, Japan**

 **(Present Day)**

I'm caressing Gintoki's hair. I felt the softness of his short black air with my hands, and no matter how many times I repeat it without him knowing...I just couldn't get enough of it at all, it somehow makes me feel at ease.

He was already asleep before I could start talking about how we first met about a year ago.

I shouldn't have forced him. I could've kept my hunger in check and didn't proceed any further than his fingers. It really bothered me this way, realizing that I almost lost him because I got greedy and forced him to let me continue eating.

We cannot do this every time, that I knew. I already knew that, from the moment my first period came when I was living with him.

Just like what that abyssal princess said to me a year ago.

"Abyssals and Humans aren't meant to be living together."

Thinking about it now, we really aren't meant to be living with each other. I cannot hurt Gintoki for much longer. I don't want him to suffer like this….

Slowly, I stood up from the toilet and approached the bathroom door.

Something has been buggering me for a while now. I've felt this irritating feeling right before I entered Gintoki's apartment room. That was after I raided the Yokosuka Naval Base for the much needed Repair Buckets.

I walked out and faced the direction where this irritating feeling originated. Using my enhanced senses I scanned the perimeter of the building but there aren't any oddities. So I crouched down and pressed my hand on the floor sensing the telekinetic waves around me.

Then like a modern radar, I got a ping on my west. It was close, like 200 meters close. The target was located on the second floor and is currently armed with a sniper rifle.

I hurriedly rotated my head to the left and saw a bright green laser aligning itself on the sliding door.

"Tsk."

I vaulted down and summoned my saber. Like a javelin thrower, I threw the saber on a horizontal manner towards the unknown assailant at the opposite building.

With an enormous force the saber entered sub-sonic speed, breaking the sliding door as well as the furniture inside the apartment room.

The time suddenly slowed down.

I followed its trajectory and displaced myself on top of my saber. The unknown assailant was shocked when he saw me in close proximity.

Before he could do anything however, I already had him by my hands. I jumped off from my saber and slammed him into the concrete floor. The ground shook violently as cracks rippled into the concrete floor.

When the time finally regained its normal speed the unknown assailant was already dealt with. However, he was not dead yet. That is fortunate enough.

I leaned closer and stared at him on the eyes. I then opened my lips and asked his name.

"Hajima Honda." He answered to me with a groan.

I then pulled him out of the crater and raised him into the air. The man groaned heavily as blood started dripping into the concrete below me.

"So, why were you following me? Were you perhaps observing?" I asked him.

The man didn't answer. Irritated, I tightened my grip on his collar and started heating them up. This is a special talent of mine where I can basically heat up my hands to the point that I could melt hardened steel.

The man must've felt the burning sensation since he was screaming badly. Smoke was starting to come out of his brown parka.

"Speak…." I yelled at him.

Still he insisted to keep his mouth shut.

Then there is nothing I can do for him. Instantaneously, I flex my right hand preparing to end his suffering my slamming him flat into the ground once more. I might break through the concrete floor but that doesn't matter.

In paper thin distance, before his body met the ground, my arm was suddenly severed.

The sharp pain screamed throughout my body as I try to figure out what the hell happened. Using my left hand I covered my wound and rotated my body clockwise.

Then a katana blade pierced through my body. I lowered my head and saw the katana's blade sticking out on my stomach. In swift motion I immediately threw a counterattack by folding my left hand close to my chin and thrusting my elbow backward.

I hit something solid, and judging by the sound of the pained grunt, I must've hit something vital.

I then grabbed the katana blade and melted it using my left hand. I then turned around and saw the person who attacked me from behind.

Wearing a black long sleeve top and a purple skirt, this shipgirl had a short purple hair and an eye patch on her left eye. Blood flowed out of her mouth as her head was facing the ground. Her left hand was placed on her stomach and the wall behind her was basically destroyed.

At that moment I really thought she was dead. But then she stood up with a staggering posture. She summons another Kanata and pointed its edge towards me.

In the same manner I summoned my own saber and prepared myself using a single hand. I did not expect to meet a shipgirl. Especially a shipgirl that does not have her battle riggings summoned.

"Tsk, I guess killing you instantly from the shadows was a really bad idea." The unknown shipgirl said to me.

"It was indeed a bad idea. Did the instructors back on your comfy naval base not orient you about my background? Maybe perhaps you are a newly summoned shipgirl?" I asked to her with a sneer.

The shipgirl shook her head as she steadied her poise. She gave an intimidating look and said, "Nah, I know who and what you are but I really don't care. Lastly, I'm actually a seasoned shipgirl who has killed many of your kind…" She said with a confidant tone.

Well-well, that's a pretty confidant statement for a shipgirl who has not summoned her battle riggings. I wonder where she gets her imaginary confidence from?

"A veteran shipgirl huh? I see…" I said to her with a wide smile on my face. "Then you wouldn't mind if I go all out then? I've been fighting weaklings for almost a year now. I guess sinking those pesky destroyers was a good exercise." I mocked her.

It's best to piss her off early to make her do reckless things. In terms of odds, I might have the edge than that shipgirl over there since a shipgirl that does not have her battle riggings summoned is basically just a normal human being. I might just throw a single strong punch and this should end quick.

"Is that so? I've been told that those pesky destroyers actually forced you to retreat…" She said to me.

"Heh, I'm interested in you." I said to her, "I wonder what your _insides_ look like?"

Before I could move a muscle the shipgirl in front of me disappeared. Then a glint appeared on my left, I turned my eyes there and saw a blade moving horizontally towards me. Instantly, I raised my saber towards the blade, stopping it from its tracks.

"Then why don't we find out? After I kill you here that is." She says as she threw a hook on my right cheek.

I wasn't able to block it. The sheer force of that punch alone actually wounded me and threw me to the opposite wall. I did not expect that one. Was the intel about the shipgirls becoming useless when their battle riggings are not summoned false?!

"Sorry to break it to you." The shipgirl says as she rested the back portion of her blade to her shoulder, "We have these things called ship characteristics which basically means that things like horsepower and such are still there even though we don't have our battle riggings summoned."

The shipgirl propelled forward burrowing her blade into the wall that I was just resting on.

"Interesting…..Your name?" I asked her.

A wide smile emerged out of the shipgirl's face. It was a crooked smile, a smile that gives me excitement, a smile that tells me that she is here for revenge.

"Nameship of the Tenryuu-class light cruisers, Tenryuu….Nice to meet you Abyssal Empress Marianna's." She said as she made a horizontal stroke with her blade but I was able to parry it.

"Good, now that I have known your name. Tenryuu, this very roof will be your grave!" I shouted.

~o~

 **March 30, 2049**

 **Hiroshima, Japan  
**

 **Gintoki's Apartment**

 **(One Year Ago)**

"Since you already have a good night's rest, when will you prepare breakfast?" She asks as she leans forward and asked me with a rather cold tone.

My jaw fell from its sockets as I heard her question. Breakfast?

"W-what are you talking about? Breakfast? This isn't even your home. No, that's not the point, how come you can speak Japanese fluently when yesterday you were like a foreigner who couldn't say anything?!" I asked to her.

The abyssal gave me scorn hearing my words. She leaned away and suddenly grabbed my collars, raising me into the air.

"Oi….How rude of you. Are you saying that my language _is_ garbage? Huh?" She asked, her eyes glowing brighter and brighter.

"Wait-wait! It's not like that at all!" I corrected myself.

The abyssal closed one eye and pulled me closer that her forehead was already touching mine.

"Then go to the kitchen and cook something…I am still mad at you for what you did last night. I mean you didn't give me anything to eat…"

She then released my collar and I fell to the ground, face first. The abyssal claps her hands twice as if to remove the dust on her hands. She then fell on the couch face first and immediately dozed off.

"Ordering me to me cook breakfast but you—you fell asleep before I could even cook anything." I said as I turned my eyes towards her.

She must've been awake this whole time. I hope she was not awake because she was waiting for me to cook something for her.

When you think about it, I should've given her my share of the spicy hot cup noodle. Ugh, this is irritating.

I eventually arrived at the kitchen and realized that I didn't buy anything yesterday because Mother arrived late. Well, it looks like I will be going to the convenience store for now.

Slowly I turned my head towards the sleeping abyssal on my couch. She was fast asleep and who knows when she'll be getting up. With a sigh I shook my head and grabbed my wallet that was placed on top of the fridge.

I walked towards the exit and wore my walking shoes.

~o~

"Brother it's almost time." A man says as he lowered his watch from his view.

"Is that so? Has Templar's men arrived on their specified position?" Another man asked.

"Roger. They are now awaiting your go, Hanabi." The man answered.

Hanabi faced the convenience store once more. He let out a couple of deep breaths as he stared at the armed men waiting inside the van.

A moment later the front entrance of the convenience store opened, revealing a young man holding his groceries.

"Go." Hanabi says to his radio.

In quick succession the side doors opened the men inside the van ran out and hastily approached the convenience store entrance.

~o~

"That'll be 2000 yen."

I dropped my shoulders and let out a groan as I inserted my hand inside one of my pockets.

Mother was kind enough to deposit 50,000 yen on my bank account. With that kind of money, I think I'll last for about a year if I don't waste it on useless things. Now that an unwanted freeloader arrived on my apartment room, I doubted that the two of us would last six months.

I handed over the payment and returned my wallet inside my right pocket. The person behind the counter then started packing the meat, vegetables, and cooking spices inside the plastic bag. After that she then gave me the stuffed plastic bag and I immediately headed into the exit.

I then waved my hand on the sexy security guard that was standing in attention near the exit. She waved back and gave me a smile.

So far my day has been stable.

That is until the two automatic sliding doors opened, revealing a woman wearing a gray long sleeve blouse and a green high waist skirt. She appears to be wearing a red high heel shoe and her legs was covered with a pair of black thigh high socks.

She had her phone placed on her right ear and appears to be walking hastily towards the convenience store entrance. I turned both of my eyes towards her as she walked pass me. She had an elegant hair and a prominent figure.

It was as if the time between us slowed down as her green eyes slowly turned towards me. As her eyes blinked so does my vision—

At that moment I didn't really know what happened.

It was as if, my world was suddenly shrouded with an endless abyss.

But really in reality, I was just unfortunately placed in between an ongoing religious hostage situation.

~o~

Ever since the creation of the JSDF or Japanese Self Defense Force, the cities all over Japan have been peaceful for a very long time. Riots have been minimal, crime rates almost nonexistent, even things like public order was maintained.

That is until an ultrareligious group called the Unitology emerged. It was a foreign religious group that was founded right after the Second World War, four months prior to the Third World War. It has been said that it's because of this group that the Third World War even started.

Their roots have already been burrowed deep into the society that it was very difficult to track them down to hinder their undercover activities. The JSDF was founded not only to protect its people from foreign anomalies but as well as protecting its citizens from these Ultrareligious people.

However—

"What's the situation?" A man wearing a gray uniform entered the tent that was erected facing the hunkered out convenience store.

"We lost ten men trying to storm the front. According to the drone team there are 80 civilians inside the convenience store and 64 armed personnel. Around eight of the armed men were killed by our sniper team. Lastly, a five kilometer lock down has been ordered so that civilians won't be included in the fry if things go south." A man sitting in front of a small laptop answered.

The man standing behind the one who answered his question shook his head after hearing the answer. He had his hand placed on his face as he tried thinking of a way to solve this problem.

"What's the matter, Oni?!"

"Fukugara-san!"

The man standing behind the compiler turned around and faced the man named Fukugara.

"I was told that there's a hostage situation near my apartment building so I hurriedly came down and check what's happening. But based on the looks of your faces..." Fukugara voice trailed as he stared at the monitors erected inside the tent.

Fukugara, one of the revered agents of the JSDF walked towards the countless monitors that are placed inside the tent. It had a 360 view around the convenience store including the security cameras inside the store itself.

"Takahama, have you tried sending in the 3rd Division for this kind of problem?" Fukugara asked.

"I can't. The ISP had them relocated to Hokkaido for an urgent mission." The guy named Takahama also known as Oni by his subordinates answered with a downcast look.

Fukugara had his arms crossed in front of his chest as he moved his eyes from left to right, up and bottom, looking for ways to breach the stalemate.

"What are their demands?" Fukugara asked.

"Same as the other ones that did this before, but on a smaller scale…They wanted to be accepted to the society and wanted to open a church for their religion's followers." Takahama answered.

Fukugara scoffed after hearing that. A determined look emerged out of his face and a wide smile seeps out.

"Might as well drop a MOAB on their position and bury them to the ground if the civilians were out of the picture." Fukugara says.

Fukugara remembers the atrocious crimes that the Unitologist group did during the December Fallout. How innocent civilians were forced out of their apartments so that they can be turned into sacrificial tools for the god that they call the Queen.

The unitologist call their god The All Knowing Queen or sometimes referred to just The Queen. Not much is known about this so called Queen of theirs other than the fact that the members that were interrogated explained that their queen was the first being that was born in this planet and that she will be responsible for making everything whole again.

"Well, we do have two of them currently on standby until the civilians are pulled out of the building. Though, I'd rather not touch their filthy bodies if we are to clean this mess. They might contaminate me with their scatological practices." Takahama says.

Fukugara eyeballed the sewer entrance that is connected to the targeted building. It was a small sewer that is only five and a half feet tall and six feet wide. Then an idea appeared on his head.

"Assemble a six man squad and get them on that sewer!" Fukugara pointed his finger at the sewer manhole located a few meters from the adjacent building of the convenience store.

~o~

Deep inside a room that was filled with frozen meat that was formerly known as pig and cattle is a man kneeling upright on the ground with an oblique object placed on a small knitted towel.

The man was uttering words that were incomprehensible for a human since it does not resemble any language that are written down in books.

"We've pushed them back. What now?" A man wrapping a tourniquet around his wounded arm entered the cold room and asked that question.

The man kneeling on the floor slowly stood up. He then swung the rifle that was placed on his back by a strap and faced the newly arrived man.

"Good. Take Dinno and Tusk with you. Pick a hostage and bring it to the front window. Warn them about doing another risky move like that again, and we'll start killing the civilians one by one."

"What about the cockroaches on the sewer, Templar?" The man asked.

"Did you put the claymores there, Tuna?" The man named Templar asked.

The man named Tuna nodded in affirmation. A smile formed on his face as he heard an audible explosion just below their feet.

"They should be retreating back now." Tuna confidently said.

Templar, the supposed leader of the terrorist group walked pass Tuna and gave him a tap on his shoulder. He then headed out of the room and Tuna was left there on his own inside the cold room.

Tuna turned his vision to the object that was placed on the floor. A small oblique object that was around eight inches long and three inches wide, it was painted in black and a large circular figure could be seen at the middle resembling an eye.

This object is called the Queen's Eye. This object represents their holy object. The same could be said for the cross of the Catholics or the Koran for the Muslims.

The man named Tuna bowed his head towards the Queen's Eye. After that he turns around and exited the cold room, meeting his fellow followers who are on high alert.

"Where's Templar?" Tuna asked the guy standing near him.

"He's on the ground floor talking to the hostages." The man near him replied.

"I see, so he's telling them about the plan huh?" Another man asked.

"I believe so. There's only one problem though." Tuna says, "Our code states that we mustn't harm women for it is basically means that we are opposing our Queen's grace. For we to make an example we need as sacrifice. And we can only sacrifice men….however—"

"There's only one male hostage among the 80 that we have."

~o~

It's been a while, like, it's already evening. It was still broad daylight I was suddenly knocked out into the dark abyss. When I open my eyes again, I was facing the convenience store ceiling with both of my hands tied behind my back.

According to the sales lady beside me, armed men stormed the entrance and have taken everyone inside the convenience store hostage. They warned the people left inside not do anything stupid or else every single one of us are to be shot dead.

The sales lady urged me not to do anything hasty since I am the only male hostage amongst them. She told me that the terrorist are not too keen with males, and would just immediately execute them just like the men working in the storage room. I was the only sole exception since I was knocked out.

That is until a man named Templar arrived and started lecturing us about their ideology.

Unitology was what the man said is their cause. They wanted to bring everyone under the guiding grace of their prophet they called The Queen. He says that the queen accepts everyone and he promised that the queen will bring an ever lasting peace in this world.

I say fuck them and their ideology.

I may not be a faithful person when it comes to divine bullshittery but seeing how they basically forced their beliefs on us like a person being fed with maggots, that just made me mad.

The more I listen to the man the more my anger rises. Seeing how his eyes were dilated all the time, how his mouth is forcing a smile to the people that they threatened to kill if one of us do something stupid.

If only I could just break free from this cable tie that was wrapped around my arms.

"For the queen needs sacrifice…." The man says and stopped in front of me, "Would you kindly die for the people inside this building?" The man asked.

He was looking at me straight on the eyes. I could see the red veins stretching across the sclera and into his brown iris. The man was Japanese that is for sure hearing how fluent he was during his lecture.

My mouth slowly opened then Templar placed his hand on my shoulder. He leans closer into my ear and says, "Think about the consequences of your actions…If you refuse, then we will be forced to kill the women here…..You wouldn't want that to happen right?" Truth be told I already knew the answer—

I turned my eyes to the side and saw the sales lady that I was talking with not too long ago. I only know her name, her name is Hatasa Hie. She's a sales lady around counter 39 and was the sales lady that packed my groceries.

She's actually pretty young, a tall woman that is to say the least. She's kind and polite…maybe the store wants them to act that way…either way seeing her this perturbed is making me hesitate.

Hatasa-san tried opening her mouth but she didn't utter a word. She could only lower her head knowing that the words won't eventually escape her mouth.

I turned my eyes again to the man in front of me. I gritted my teeth, picking the right words inside my head.

"F—"

—bang.

And just like that, a loud crackle entered both of my left and right eardrums. It was a familiar crackle, a crackle that I myself knew very well.

The smell of cordite in the air, the smile of blood…the fear—

I slowly turned my head to the side where the sales lady named Hatasa Hie was sitting. Lying on the ground with a large three inch hole on her head that my three fingers could easily fit is the corpse of the former sales lady named Hatasa Hie.

"A-Ah—"

"Hmm, do you really think I wasn't observing the two of you talk few moments ago?" The man named Templar lowered his Five-seven model sidearm and holstered it.

"W-wha—"

"The queen knows everything you fool. I can hear her whispering to my ear—to dispose this woman as soon as possible. I did not dare question her order since she is the supreme being..." He softly said.

I do not know what I was feeling right there. Was it fear, anger, angst, bewilderment, shock, or any other word that is used to identify a human emotion?

"So does your queen say anything about you dying right now?" A female's voice came to my ears.

It was a deep female's voice. A voice that I personally knew, I mean, how can I even forget that voice?

It was a soothing, deep, and yet a chilly voice that one would suspect that a cold dagger has been placed behind their back.

Startled the man named Templar hurriedly turned around only to realize that his head was already on the ground. Blood spurted out of his dismembered neck as if it was a water fountain that you usually see on parks.

Templar's body limply fell on the ground, twitching. Some of his blood was painted on my face, his deep red yet cold blood.

I slowly raised my head towards the newcomer. It was like a scene copied from a horror film.

The woman had a very white hair and pale skin. She wore a blouse that had a black ribbon on her collar and a black high waist skirt. She appears to be wearing nothing on her feet but her legs was covered with black thigh high socks.

She was looking at me with her bright gold eyes. I recognize those eyes, I only knew one person who has that kind of eyes.

"When I said cook breakfast, that doesn't mean you can just run away and get yourself in this situation. Did you know how long I was waiting for you to arrive?" The woman yelled as she crouched down illuminating her face with the moonlight.

A single word escaped my mouth. Rather, it was not a word but a name—

"Hatsu…"

The abyssal that I named Hatsu sighed and dropped her shoulders. She then stood up from her crouching position and grabbed the corpse's severed head.

"How many times do I have to tell you?" Hatsu says as she aligns the severed head to her mouth, "My name is Abyssal Empress Marianna…" She then devoured a part of the severed head that was formerly owned by a person named Templar.

The hairs of my stood up as I saw her devour the head. I counted. Yes, I did count how many times she bit on the head's skin until the skeleton was the only one left

I couldn't get my eyes off of her. And the other hostages as well couldn't.

After all, this would be the first time they have ever encountered an abyssal this close to them.

Her presence alone was too much for me to handle. It was like as if the gravity suddenly became stronger and it was pulling me to the ground.

"Say, Gintoki." Hatsu licked the blood that was painted at the corner of her lips, "What are you doing here anyway?" She asked.

I hesitated to answer her question, wondering the right words that should be used in this situation. Where can you see a human casually talking to an abyssal in this situation?

"I was shopping for some ingredients to make breakfast." I answered as calmly as I could, "More over…How did you find me?" I added.

Hatsu then dropped the head to the ground as she leaned closer towards my face. She then stared sniffing me like an animal.

"Well that is because you have this distinctive smell." She answered, "Every single one of you humans have your own distinctive smell. When I say smell that doesn't mean you are surrounded by foul odor, what I meant is that I can tell which is which based via the smell…Seriously it's really hard to explain it using your language. However there are some advantages like for example—"

I saw it, I saw it since she was standing close to me. I saw a red dot aligning on her forehead but I wasn't able to tell her about it until it was already too late.

A distant crackle came and with it Hatsu's head jerked backward like how an unexpected boxer suddenly received a strong—quick jab.

"Hatsu!" I shouted her name.

Limply, her body fell into the ground without much resistance. I hurried crawled pass Templar's head and towards Hatsu's body. A small quarter-inch hole could be seen at the very center of her forehead.

"Hold your fire! We got the bastard!" A man screamed near me.

"Dammit now Templar's dead! What do we do now?!" Another came.

"Shit. Looks like we don't have much choice…Kill every one!"

Just as a random man declared, the ground floor was suddenly engulfed in chaos. The loud sounds of rifles firing, the buzzing sound of a bullet overpassing over my head. The disgusting sound of bullets penetrating flesh—

And there I sat on the floor holding the abyssal's arm that I forcibly named Hatsu. Despite the dire situation, I just couldn't get my eyes off of her. It was as if—

"Now-now, there's no need to be staring at me like that."

Her voice was calm. The corpse on my hand suddenly said those words to me.

"A mere bullet ain't enough to kill an Abyssal Empress like me." She proudly announced as she slowly raised her body upward.

"Oi—!"

"Stay put. Find cover if you have to." Hat—no, Abyssal Empress Marianna stood by her own two feet. She turned her gold eyes towards me and say, "Just don't get caught in the confusion."

~o~

With Templar's death, the man named Tuna was left on his own to command the 56 followers that are inside the convenience store that they raided.

Not too second ago, Templar was talking to the 80 hostages on the ground floor when suddenly an unknown woman that had a white hair arrived and killed him. He saw how the woman grabbed Templar's head from the ground and started devouring it.

Out of fear he immediately aligned the barrel of his rifle at the woman's forehead and fired, dropping her to the ground immediately.

But—

"Tuna! Run!"

Tuna was pushed to the side by Ajax out of concern. His head immediately collided with the metal floor, giving him a nasty headache.

It was not just him though who got his head collided with the metallic floor. The man who pushed him to the side named Ajax had his head pinned on the floor as well, unfortunately for him his head was squashed by the sheer strength of the woman that had her hand placed behind Ajax's squashed head.

"Ara-ara, I did not expect this much blood to be staining my blouse." The woman in front of Tuna says.

With her bright gold eyes, the woman turned her attention towards Tuna who was crouching on the metallic floor. A wide sneer surfaced out of the woman's face as she saw Tuna lowering his gun barrel.

"You—you aren't getting away from me." The woman says.

Hastily, Tuna rolled to the side evading the woman's frontal jab in paper thin distance. The wall behind him crumbled like it was made of paper.

Tuna then fired a short burst to the woman but his bullets did nothing to her unlike his first shot that penetrated her forehead.

"Uh-uh, it won't work again~" The woman says with a cheery tone.

"Adaptive Skin?!" Tuna shouted in his head before running along a corridor leading towards the storage room.

He knew that this woman is not human. How could a human get up from an accurate headshot? How could a human break a concrete wall using its bare hands?

The woman attacked him from behind once more, this time a short saber could be seen on her hand. It was stained in blood, and a bit of it was sprayed towards him. He successfully dodged it by ducking down from the blade's direction.

Tuna then kicked the woman's shinbone, bending it on an awkward manner. He then tried disarming the woman by grabbing her arm and rotating it counterclockwise to the point that the joints on her elbow just popped.

He successfully removed the saber from the woman's hand however. He didn't hear the woman grunt, wail, or scream in pain. Confused, Tuna turned his head towards the woman's face only to see the woman still smiling towards him, this time in close proximity.

"Hehehehe—" Suddenly the woman headbutted him at the center of his forehead.

His body flew into the air and crashed on the large storage racks that had perishables stashed inside cardboard boxes. A total of four storage racks fell down until his body halted and the momentum dispersed.

"Hmm, you last for about 20 seconds…That's good considering your 56 comrades on the ground floor couldn't even last 3.2 seconds before dying." The woman casually walked towards the area where the man named Tuna crashed his body.

Tune could clearly see the shinbone that he just broke not a second ago, not it was miraculously healed like nothing happened at all.

With his half-closed eyes and blood drench upperbody, Tuna slowly raised the barrel of his rifle and fired it at the woman. The woman in return only caught the bullet using her right index and middle fingers.

"Heh, you don't learn do you?" The woman asked.

Out of thin air the woman suddenly closed the distance between her and the man in front of her. She grabbed the man by the neck and raised him into the air.

"I'll reward you for surviving this long…" She says as the vision of the man disappears into the abyss.

~o~

She came out through a large hole embedded on the wall. Her blouse was crimson red, painted by the blood of her enemies that she has killed inside this large convenience store. On her hand is a dismembered arm, bite marks could be seen all over it and the bone was already visible. I do not know who that arm belongs to but I sure know that whoever he might be he is probably a corpse by now.

The woman—no, the abyssal properly named Abyssal Empress Marianna turned her gold bright eyes towards me, she waved her right hand that was holding the dismembered arm.

She was walking cheerfully towards me, and I stood there unable to move a muscle as the distance between the two of us decreased by the second.

After she has killed the armed men inside this convenience store in just a short span of time without me even noticing that none of them were breathing, I already knew what's gonna happen next.

"Sorry for the wait~ I can't believe my blouse was stained that much." Abyssal Marianna says.

It's either she disposes of me here by killing me on the spot or devouring me that not a single tissue of my very being is left on the white tiles.

"Now that was a feast." She says.

The abyssal tilted her head to the side seemingly confused.

I moved a single step backward. A sweat bud slowly traced along my temple, reaching my chin. It slowly converges and eventually fell to the ground due to gravity.

And just like that, like any other normal human being meeting a monster face to face—I ran towards the exit where the JSDF forces are waiting.

I didn't look back—I couldn't even hear her yells. All that mattered to me the most was getting the hell away from her as far as possible.

My left foot arrived at the sensor that automatically opens the glass sliding door that was covered in newspaper by the unitologist to prevent any information from leaking out to the JSDF.

A spotlight immediately shone above me, they must've seen my exit. It was already night before I knew it. How I felt glad that I am now freed from that hell.

I ran passed a body of a woman wearing a blue shirt and black trousers. She was facing the ground and a large hole could be seen behind her head that was faintly covered by her long black hair.

Then I ran passed another that was missing its arm, then another that was missing its leg, and another, and another, and—

I halted right behind the woman that was sitting upright on the asphalt. She had a dyed hair which is brown and was wearing a white shirt. Multiple red dots could be seen on her back, if you count them one by one there are twelve of them.

"Do not move!" Screamed a man from the horizon using a megaphone.

I raised my head towards the origin of the voice. I couldn't see him due to the amount of light that was blocking my view.

"Seems like they don't want any witnesses huh?"

I heard a distant explosion. A shadow suddenly came, and with it a female's figure blocked my view.

With her still stained crimson blouse and blood drenched hands, the abyssal that killed the armed men inside the convenience store came and raised her hand forward.

A following sharp chime came to my ears as a black object fell into the ground, smoke still seeping out of it.

"The abyssal!" Shouted the man behind the megaphone once more.

"What are you waiting for?! Fire! Fire!"

I never thought that on that day, I was able to feel what it's like to be fired upon. Mother talked about it in the past when I was still young. How nerve wracking it was, how scary it is when a buzzing sound suddenly pass over your head. How disgusting the sound it makes when it hits a human flesh, how nauseating it is when the tissues are ripped, twisted, and mushed all together as the bullet penetrated the muscles.

I was behind the abyssal with all of those things that I monologue happen. Standing still with a single hand covering her face, she didn't falter nor cowered by the hail of bullets that was coming towards her.

In fact, she let the bullets hit her.

By the time the hail of bullets ceased, multiple crushed objects could be seen surrounding the feet of the abyssal in front of me.

" _How ironic_ " The abyssal says, "I was born to devour, destroy, and eradicate you humans for the sole purpose of scoring a position in the grand hierarchy." The abyssal then slowly turns her head to the side and stared at me with her right gold eye. "So tell me. Why am I defending a frail human being against the weapons of its fellow human beings?" She asked.

I couldn't answer her. To tell you the truth I really do not know the answer of her question.

A few months ago I ended my college life by dropping out so that I could join the Army. I passed my recruitment form and waited for the JSDF recruitment center to finalize it.

Yesterday morning, I left my part time job at Boss Coffee so that if ever my recruitment form is eventually finalized I wouldn't have to do it after I received my enlistment form.

Yesterday afternoon, I decided to waste my time at the spot located near my new apartment that Karen found near the now public beach. I had a folding chair and can of cold coffee with me.

As the sun sets, I saw a large bundle of seaweed washed ashore on the public beach. Out of curiosity I walked towards it and examined it. I did not expect on that day that I would find a woman inside that bundle of seaweed. I helped her in my own way. I stitched her wound, dried her, dressed her with my own clothes and gave her medicine.

Yesterday evening, I learned that the woman that was wrapped inside the bundle of seaweed was an abyssal. The creatures that endangered my race to extinction. I gave her a name based around the words that she said to me on that evening.

Today, I learned her real name…her real abyssal name. I also learned how vicious she is on combat and how grotesque she was on her enemies. How she ate the flesh of her fallen enemies like it was normal for her.

Today, I learned a lot. How she turned her bright gold eyes towards me with pity and sorrow.

They were the same back then—the very same eyes that stared at me when I was barely conscious, how I managed to survive a confrontation with a large abyssal.

But I knew that the abyssal that I saw that day was not her...No, she was a different humanoid abyssal.

"I guess you have no choice now, huh?" She slowly says.

"W-hat do you mean?" I asked.

"You are now hunted by your own race. I guess you have no place to return to now." She elaborated.

Suddenly the abyssal turns her body around and grabbed me by the left arm. Simultaneously, she then jumped vertically into the air. I could feel my cheeks moving as the height increased in a short span of time.

"P-put me down!" I yelled as we reached a certain height where buildings were at the same size as my pingky.

Hearing my demand the abyssal landed on top of a high rise building and released me on the concrete floor.

Slowly the abyssal started unpinning the buttons on her blood stained blouse. She finally reached the last button, she first lowers her shoulders to the left and then tugged the crimson stained long sleeves using her right hand. After her left hand was freed she then removed the opposite side.

I could see her bare chest. I've seen it thrice already in just a short span of time . But she didn't mind, she just looked at me and averted her eyes as she used the unstained part of her blouse to wipe off the blood on her hands and face.

"Why are you…why did you save me?" I asked her as I slowly stood up from the ground.

The abyssal crossed her arms across her chest and didn't dare turning her face towards me.

"Why you might ask…?" Her tone was fleeting, as if she doesn't know what the next words she wanted to say.

The abyssal lowered her head to the ground as she released her stained blouse into the ground. I could see holes on her back slowly disappearing into nothing. It bothered me for a moment, for me to be seeing it happen in a slow manner.

"I don't really know…I guess." She says.

With a diagonal wave of her hand a new white blouse suddenly formed around her upperbody. Black and red particles gathered until her upperbody was now basically covered in cloth.

She then turns around, placing her left hand on her waist and an eyebrow raised upward.

"What about you, human? Why did you dare bringing me to your home and tend my wound? I don't want to repeat myself…but, I am born to kill you…no, I am born to eradicate your race from this planet. Still—"

"I do not know as well." I say to her.

The abyssal swallowed the words that she was about to say to me. She could only gently close both of her eyes and shrugged.

"It seems neither of us knew the answer." She softly says.

I lowered my gaze from her eyes and faced the concrete on my feet. I could see the blood that's sticking out at the rims of my leather shoes. In front of those said shoes is another pair of shoes but these ones are colored with black and seems to be made of thick material meticulously formed into an expensive looking boots.

With faint movements I could see the boots moving away from me. Hastily, I raised my head and saw her fixing her hair into a pony tail using a black scrunchie.

"Wait—" I unconsciously say.

While her back was facing towards me, the abyssal still halted and rotated her attention towards me.

"What?" She asked.

I was having trouble on what to say to her. I didn't even realize that I called her. Confused, my eyes were moving all over the place trying to find an excuse for stopping her.

I gulped once more, finally formulating a reason for stopping her inside my head.

"W-what are you gonna do now?"

The abyssal had a confused look on her face when she heard my question. Slowly the abyssal raised her head into the dark starry sky.

I could see her bright gold eyes illuminating in the dark hue of the night. Despite being a monster that is capable of killing 56 armed men in just a short span of time, I found it odd…

I found it odd that this monster in front of me allures me.

"To the sea" She softly says, "I do not belong here after all. I am a being that was born from the sea and not from the ground, I belong to the vast ocean and not on the earth." She continued.

"I-Is that so?" I said under my breath

"Furthermore, I have a job. Menacing as it sounds, I still have to kill the defenders of man. That is my sole purpose. What about you….Gintoki? What are you gonna do now?" She turns her eyes towards me.

What am I gonna do now?

I placed my right hand on my neck and rubbed it. When you think about it, what am I gonna do now after experiencing all of that?

"I guess…I'm going back to my apartment." I said in a joking manner.

The abyssal could only close her eyes once more as she slowly starts laughing at my answer. With her right hand she clenches it, and then the abyssal placed it on her mouth as if to cover it.

"You are…an abnormal human being." She says, "You don't fear me do you?" The abyssal scoffs as she noticed my silent answer, "What's the matter, Gintoki? Cat got your tongue?" She asked.

"It's not that I fear you or anything…How should I say this—"

"Gintoki…" The abyssal interjected with a serious tone, "Gintoki, I do not know what your intentions are but…thank you for trying to help me." Before she swiftly turns around and started walking towards the edge of the high rise building's roof.

"Hatsu!" I called once more.

The abyssal didn't stop, she continued as she says: "How many times do I have to tell you? My name is Abyssal Empress Marianna."

"If you have the time—you can visit my apartment anytime!" I yelled before her body fell from the edge.

I hastily ran to the edge myself but I couldn't see her anymore. She just disappeared. With a sigh, I moved away from the edge and sat on the concrete roof and stared at the sea in front of my view.

I then placed both of my hands behind me and leaned back. I could still feel my left hand shaking after remembering all the things that happened to me today.

In just a short span of time I experience what a soldier is supposed to experience in the front line. If my memory serves me right, Hatsu says that she was born in the sea and for the sea only. If it was on the other way around, I found myself confronting her not as a guy named Toshiki Gin but a soldier named Toshiki Gin. I wonder how long I wouldn't even last a second if I fought her.

~o~

Six black vans arrived at the killing zone. Shortly after the vans halted the sliding doors opened revealing a man wearing a black uniform and a menacing look on his face.

He swiftly turned his head to the left and saw the amount of casualties that could be seen lined up on the ground.

He gritted his teeth as he hastily walked towards the tent where most of the JSDF field officers are located.

"Stand down, sir!" A soldier wearing a field gray uniform raised his hand towards the man persuading him to stand down.

The man in black uniform just shoved the hand away and entered the tent anyway, interrupting the meeting of the six field officers.

"Commander Ozawa Ukei, what are you doing here?" One of the field officers asked in bafflement

"So who the fuck gave the order?" Commander Ozawa Ukei asked with a grim look.

A man that goes with a name of Captain Tayama Rokuo raised his hand confirming that it was his call to shot down the civilians that were coming out of the convenience store.

Out of anger, Commander Ozawa Ukei unholstered his pistol and fired a round at Captain Tayama's forehead, dropping him instantly.

The men inside the tent were shocked at the sudden turn of events. One of the younger field officers inside the tent Lieutenant Fukouda Honda ran beside Captain Tayama only to realize that the captain was no longer alive.

"The JSDF do not kill civilians. We protect them. That is our sole purpose. That is our job while the Imperial Army does the killing. I mobilized you people here to diminish the situation but six hours later I received a report that 76 civilians were killed as per belief that they were infected by the Abyssal that suddenly arrived and stormed the convenience store… Are you out of your goddamn minds?!" Commander Ozawa yelled as he holstered his pistol.

"Commander, the order was forced upon Captain Tayama since he was the only high ranking field officer at that time!" A lieutenant says.

"Forced upon? What do you mean forced upon?!" Commander Ozawa shouted.

"I issued the order, Commander Ozawa…" Came a deep male's voice.

Commander Ozawa rotated clockwise and saw a man wearing a peculiar uniform inside the tent. He had a black hair and a lean figure. He wore glasses and a uniform that had a brown and red camouflage pattern.

"Commander Matsuo…Why is a high ranking officer of the Imperial Guards doing in Hiroshima?" Commander Ozawa asked with utter disgust.

"Heh, I was just by chance walking by the street when suddenly a hostage situation appeared." Commander Matsuo calmly answered.

"You inhumane bastard! Why must those civilians die?!" Commander Ozawa angrily walked towards Commander Matsuo and grabbed him by the collars.

"Think about the consequences, Ozawa…What do you think would've happened if the people find a disturbing title in their T.V's like: Abyssals sighted on the Japanese Mainland?!" Commander Matsuo says with a cold tone.

"But sacrificing 76 innocent civilians…furthermore there are 80 of them sighted inside the convenience store! What happened to the other four?!"

Commander Matsuo shoved Commander Ozawa's hand to the side. He then fixes his tie as he walked towards the exit.

"I believe you already knew what must be done, Ozawa. I have already gathered the pesky news casters and sent them to the special place for memory cleaning. I'll leave the clean up here to you." Commander Matsuo says with a mocking tone as he exits the tent.

Left inside the field tent, Commander Ozawa grunted and slams his hand on the table behind him, denting it in the process.

"Commander…"

"Scramble the men. Not a single trace will be left." Commander Ozawa barked his orders.

"B—but…" A man standing near him tried reasoning with his commanding officer.

"Just do what you were told and ask later…" Commander Ozawa interjected.

On that simple night, a news report was aired into the public. How an armed ultrareligious group assaulted a convenience store in Hiroshima. JSDF forces were mobilized and the armed men were dealt with. All 80 hostages were saved, and a total of 56 armed Unitologist Followers were killed in the firefight.

~o~

"Bullcrap, I say."

"I know what you mean, Admiral. I've already asked one of the shipgirls that were re-enlisted into the Imperial Guard and they said that the order came from the Emperor's Research Development and Assessment Department." A girl wearing a serafuku on top of a long-sleeved zippered shirt and a blue pleated skirt with hakama-like hip vents said.

The admiral changed the channel of his television placed inside his office only to discover that the same story is being broadcast. Even the _Truth Channel_ has been broadcasting the same _bullcrap_.

"What else did our informants say?" The admiral asked.

"Dr. Matsuharu Akira has...stolen a copy of Asahi and Akashi's research proposal about a quick repair fluid that easily regenerates wounds inflected on us shipgirls." The said shipgirl says.

"So was it recovered?"

The shipgirl adjusted her glasses using her right hand and read the report placed on her notepad.

"Yes, Yura and her strike group has disposed Dr. Matsuharu and has deleted every material that involves about Asahi and Akashi's _repair fluid_ research."

The admiral nodded his head once more and he pressed a button on his remote, simultaneously turning off the flat screen T.V in front of him.

"Anything else you wanted to add, Ooyodo?"

The shipgirl named Ooyodo focus her gaze to her admiral. She then averted her gaze and focused her attention on the other report on her notepad.

"Fleets 12 and 18 have returned, no damage. Fleets 4 and 8 has departed. Fleets 10 and 12 have returned with major damage, they seem to have encountered a new type of abyssal on the northern sea region. Lastly, about the Abyssal Empress that you were talking about—"

"Yes, what about it?"

"She was spotted on Hiroshima by Suzutsuki who was having her vacation there at that time."

The admiral had this dumbfounded look on his face as he heard the shipgirl's words. Slowly he placed the remote on his table and took a tablet from underneath his desk.

"Admiral?"

"Notify the fairies that we need scouting planes ASAP. I've sortied Fleets 5 and 15 to Hiroshima right now...We need to find that Abyssal Empress before things get out of hand!"

~o~

 **March 31, 2049**

Morning came together with an annoying sound of my alarm going off. With a bad headache, I raised my head upward and turned my attention towards my smartphone placed on the floor. Using my left hand, I stretched it towards my phone and pressed the stop button.

After letting out a groan, I raised my body upright and faced the rising sun. I rubbed the back of my head as I let out a yawn.

Then the sound of my fridge opening came to my ears.

I lethargically turned my head to the left and saw an unknown person standing there. It was a woman. She had a pure white hair and a pale skin. She wore my black jacket and was eating a canned food without cooking it.

It immediately came to my attention that a burglar has infiltrated my apartment room.

"Uwa, that was the best." The woman announced throwing away the emptied can to the side where a large pile of emptied canned goods can be seen.

"Ha-Hatsu?!"

The woman named Abyssal Empress Marianna turned her head towards me. Large amounts of meat fillings could be seen at the rims of her mouth and cheeks, and an eyebrow was raised.

"Hmm, look who finally decided to wake up?" She says with a bright smile on her face.

* * *

Author's Notes

Winter 2018 has started everyone. Watch yourselves and don't do anything hasty.

Also, HAIR DOWN ZUIKAKU IS BAE!

 **Updated 1/25/2019 - FIXED SOME ERRORS**


	4. Woman

Chapter 4: Either way….that **woman** ….has to go…

* * *

 **PRESENT DAY**

 **~o~**

For the first time in my life, I've never seen her acting this way. The person that I am watching today is being reckless, freed from the shackles of fear and uncertainty.

One thing for certain, although I am just observing her, I knew deep inside her something _corrosive_ is brewing.

And the more we let her do this on her own, the more that _corrosive entity_ will consume her.

However—

"The apartment room is clear! Retrieve the _target_ now!" A small destroyer yelled from my back.

—My job today is not about telling her to stop, but to kidnap this innocent man who is currently sleeping soundly on the bathtub drench on what appears to be Akashi and Asahi's repair fluid.

"Amagi, Akagi, get inside the bathtub and prepare the guy for extraction. Choukai and Tone get into the balcony and keep a close eye on Tenryuu. Tatsuta get ready to support your sister whenever she needs it! You two, watch the corridor!"

A small destroyer of the Fubuki-class named Shinonome barked her orders on us in quick succession. Nobody questioned her, we just fluidly follow them. She is our flagship after all, and when it comes to leadership this small destroyer will get the job done.

"Dammit, Tenryuu is getting pushed back by that Abyssal!" Tone yelled from the balcony.

Shinonome instantly poked her head inside the bathroom and yelled, "Hurry the fuck up! We need to support Tenryuu soon!"

Hastily I wrapped around a small expanding cushion inside the body bag that we are planning to transport the guy on. Despite our rude actions, actions that would instantly wake a sleeping person, he appears to be not bothered by it.

"Akagi! I can take care of this!" My older sister Amagi yelled as she hoisted the body bag on her left shoulder.

In a quick succession I turn around and ran out of the bathroom and headed towards the balcony. Tone and Tatsuta were already on the other building, helping Tenryuu on buying us some time to extract the guy out of this area.

I stood there and summoned my battle riggings, immediately crushing the concrete floor underneath me due to my immense weight as a battlecruiser-type shipgirl.

Slowly I trailed my guns on the Abyssal, she was giving me a hard time since she was jumping around dodging attacks from both Tenryuu and Tatsuta's melee attacks as well as Tone' supporting fire.

I waited for the abyssal to seize moving, just at the right moment—and then the opportunity showed itself—ready….F—

"What do you think you are doing on my balcony, missy?!"

~o~

 **April 6, 2049**

The last wave of enemy abyssal planes came with a devastating result on the lone IJN base on Amami Island just 325 kilometers from Mainland Japan. It is located south of Japan and is the third island that is near the main IJN Pacific Base on Okinawa.

Amami Airport, located at the northern part of the island is heavily damaged rending flight operations on hold for a couple of months until the runway is fixed.

However, that does not mean that the fighters that are already airborne are not allowed to do their job. Although the airfield is heavily damaged they are still tasked on chasing after the Abyssal Raider Planes that had the same size of an old Gen 6 American Fighter Plane named the F-22. They have a circular body and two wings could be seen at each side of the circular body. Two jet engines could be seen underneath the said wings and a large prominent mouth could be seen as well, intimidating those who tried taking them out head-on.

Other than its intimidating look Abyssal Raider Planes dubbed Shinyuusha in the Abyssal Plane Identification Poster are armed with ten abyssal missiles classified as 'AR-01' signal tracking missiles and a single 30mm autocannon located inside its mouth.

The AR-01 can be easily countered by basic countermeasures like flares, chaffs, or probes. The 30mm autocannon however is a different story. Each round of the 30mm autocannon is basically magnetically armed, basically even if the round misses the plane it will still detonate like flak if it is fired within near proximity of the plane.

Safe estimates that the rounds won't detonate are around 50 meters to 70 meters, anything nearer than 50 meters is a guaranteed within the danger zone.

"Asus 0-4! Maneuver! Maneuver to my left now!" A pilot fighting the extreme G-forces of 10G's managed to make a sharp turn and performs a steep rolling scissors with his plane.

"It's behind me! I say again, the bloody thing is still behind me!" The pilot dubbed as Asus 0-4 made a vertical climb.

Hastily the pilot that was behind the Shinyuusha that was chasing Asus 0-4 pushed the thrust lever at the maximum to chase after the Shinyuusha.

"I got him! I got him locked!" The pilot yelled at the radio.

He let the ringing sound; which indicates that his air-to-air missile is locked on the Shinyuusha; for a couple of seconds before pressing the fire button.

"Fox 1! Fox 4!" The pilot announced.

The two missiles roared on the sky as it chase behind the Shinyuusha that suddenly made a quick right turn but the Mk.72 mod.33 air-to-air missiles of the F-66 Shinden is already _focused locked_ on the Shinyuusha meaning that sudden quick rolls or sudden quick plane maneuvers won't work unless flares or chaff are used.

Before long the two Mk.72 missiles found their target and penetrated the circular shaped body of the Shinyuusha. A large orange smoke engulfed the abyssal plane as its parts fell into the earth below.

"What took you so long, Rio?!" Asus 0-4 yelled at the proximity radio channel.

"Hey cut me some slack! I had two of my expensive missiles used to defend you, also I had to make sure that they are _focused locked_ because we can't grow 22 million yen on the rice patties!" The pilot named Rio rebuked.

Glancing to the side Rio saw Asus 0-4 aligning his plane on his port. The pilot inside the dark soot plane that was littered with holes gave a thumbs up at his savior who also had multiple holes on his wings as well.

"Hotel niner this is Asus Actual, stragglers has been neutralized, requesting permission to land, over." Rio uttered on friendly frequency.

"Affirmative Asus Actual. Permission to land is granted—wait belay that, Asus Actual I am unpleased to inform you that you are ordered to fly to coordinates 28.798245, 128.994869." The radio operator announced.

Asus Actual also known as Rio furrowed his eyebrows when he heard his new orders. He took a glance at his wings and instruments, deep inside him he knew that he is incapable of doing another risky job than chasing stragglers again.

"Interrogative, what are we expecting to see on that grid?" Rio asked.

"Just a basic recon mission, Rio. We picked up something on the long range radar. Command wants the two of you to check it out since you and your wingman are closer to the grid." The radio operator answered.

"Understood, changing course to coordinates 28.798245, 128.994869, over."

"Acknowledge. Good hunting."

Out of habit, Rio leaned closer to his instruments particularly his gas meter and tapped on the glass. Immediately the arrow increased in depression indicating that the meter was busted.

"Damn" Rio cursed.

"What? What is it, Rio?" His wingman asked on the proximity radio.

Shaking his head twice, Rio then turned his head to his port and says, "Gas meter busted again. Hayama-san is going to kill me this time for sure."

A faint chucker came to the radio after Rio uttered his words. The only thing Rio could do was sigh, as he tried conserving his remaining fuel to reach the new grid as well as reaching the heavily damaged airfield.

It didn't take long for the two pilots to reach the location.

"Well would you look at that…." Asus 0-4 unknowingly whistled as he saw the island.

"I can't believe they are this close to the mainland…I'm going to tell Command about this…"

"Well you can do that later! We have multiple Shiji-sha coming our way!" Asus 0-4 yelled as he and his partner immediately dived down.

"Command, this is Asus Actual! We have found an Abyssal Hive! I repeat, we found an Abyssal H—"

The frequency was suddenly engulfed in static.

~o~

 **April 5, 2049**

[My dear Marianna, I believe you already know what to do.]

A woman wearing a white blouse and a black thigh high skirt lowered her head as she places her hand on her right temple.

"Understood...it will be done" She answered.

[Good. The eggs will arrive at the specified location by tomorrow morning. For now, have fun playing with your meal...]

And just like that her connection to the holy being that she serves was severed. A sudden headache came to the abyssal named Marianna indicating that her telepathic connection with her queen was hastily severed.

After letting out a sigh, Marianna stood up from the couch and stretched her limbs.

"Hngg~"

She then lowered her upper body and stretched her hands toward her feet, touching them.

"He's not my meal..." Marianna muttered as she eyeballed the sleeping idiot who got drunk yesterday after losing a bet on who's the strongest woman in the world.

Marianna didn't know that Gintoki had a low tolerance on alcohol. With just six bottles of beer he suddenly assaulted her and stripped her clothes like a sex animal but she managed to peel him off and gave him good lesson. After that, Gintoki went on a deep slumber.

Marianna took the brown blanket that covered her body before she was abruptly awaken. She didn't know who covered her with it but knowing that there are only two people living in this apartment room, she knew it was Gintoki.

Making sure that she won't stumble upon the empty beer bottles on the ground, Marianna placed the blanket over Gintoki's body.

"Two a.m." Marianna muttered as she glanced at the wall clock above the fridge.

Slowly, Marianna approached the fridge and opened it only to realize that the fridge was practically empty.

Marianna let out a disappointed sigh, as the sound of her stomach rumbling came again. As a last ditch effort, she extended her hand towards the special cabinet where most of Gintoki's snacks are hidden.

It was empty as well.

Marianna let out a loud yell inside her head whilst raising her hand into the air.

Knowing that there aren't any perishables in the fridge nor in the cabinets, she had one last solution up underneath her sleeves.

"Hunting thugs on the dark streets in this hour wouldn't be a problem right? Yes-yes, I should do that one. Four should be enough—"

Marianna cuts off her own sentence as she glanced back to the sleeping Gintoki on the floor, making sure that he hasn't heard any of the words that she has uttered. After all, it would be bad if he finds out that Marianna has been murdering thugs on the dark alleyways in Hiroshima for a quick and easy meal for the past four weeks.

After making sure that Gintoki was deep asleep she approached the front door and placed her hand on the door knob. She could feel her head still throbbing in pain after her telepathic conversation with her queen ended.

This happens frequently since her queen's telepathic waves are stronger when focused on a single receiver. The headache is less noticeable when there are ten people involve in the conversation.

"Now, let's not waste time." Marianna says as she opens the door and leave.

~o~

"Yoshida-san~! You're on shift today at 12th street~" Yelled a woman wearing a blue domestic uniform. She had a white cap on her head and a small radio on her right shoulder, it was a typical attire for a civilian enlisted police officer.

"Alright~" A seasoned officer named Yoshida Ippo waved his hand to the woman behind the large reception area just opposite of the two opened double doors of the Hiroshima Police Department.

Yoshida rotated both of his shoulders clockwise as he approached the front coffee station near the entrance. He then ordered a cup of hot black coffee before exiting the building. His attention was then directed to a man sitting on the concrete pathways.

"Muzachi-san." The young police officer called.

Officer Uzachiki Muzachi, a 25 year old officer from Kanagawa is the most seasoned officer in the Hiroshima Police Department. He has a muffled black hair and a sleepy face, but he had a maintained body figure that would give the thugs a shuddering experience just by looking at him.

"Yoh, so you're my partner for today's patrol?" Officer Uzachiki asked.

Officer Yoshida nodded. He then sat beside the seasoned officer and sipped his own cup of coffee.

"Well I did not expect you to be working on graveyard shift since you usually do morning patrols." Officer Yoshida says.

Shaking his head, Officer Uzachiki denied. With a distant look, he then stared somewhere and spoke with a tired tone.

"Yoshida-san, the people don't need us anymore. The JSDF has basically replaced us ever since the Abyssals arrived. A lot of us police officers were stripped out of our jobs because of that. With so little of us left in the formerly famed Department of Investigation Bureau, one can't just shrug off the feeling of doing our jobs earnestly for those who were stripped off their position in this country of ours."

Officer Yoshida listened in silence. He gave deep thoughts about the words that he has heard from the seasoned police officer in the Hiroshima Police Department.

He gave thought to those men who were stripped by their uniforms and were thrown back to the society, jobless. If it weren't for those men in the JSDF none of these would've happen, he said to himself.

Not only that, there have been rumors emerging out saying that the JSDF have been doing inhumane things to keep the peace in this country's society. Things like: falsifying information, homicide, torture, forceful interventions, and many more.

The Hiroshima Miracle came to his head. How 80 civilians were miraculously saved by the JSDF and around 56 'unitologist' were killed in the ensuing gunfight. However, he knew it was just a ruse...He knew what really happened on that night and thinking about it again, he could feel his anger against the ways of the JSDF resurfacing.

"Yoshida-san."

Like a person that was shaken off from a hallucination, Officer Yoshida shook his head towards Officer Uzachiki.

"W-what is it?"

"It's time to go. The night alleys of this city are awaiting us."

With a sigh, Officer Yoshida placed the cup near his lips and sipped at the coffee cup one last time before placing it on the stone pathway.

"Alright, let's go."

~o~

There are many beautiful things in this world. Be it a painting, a sculpture, a building, trees, nature's natural beauty, and many more

For her however, she only likes one thing. And that is music.

Not those romanticized music or a solo piano piece that was composed in the old era, or the sound of her queen's heartwarming lullaby that could melt away the fatigue out of her body.

No, she only liked one thing. And you couldn't even say that it is music in the first place.

No, what she liked the most is the sound of flesh being stretched thin to the point that it's about to snap.

"Yuck, it's sour." A deep female's voice echoed on a dark alleyway.

Sitting on a crouched position is a woman that had a long white hair that was tied into a pony tail using a black scrunchie. Crimson red blood could be seen staining her white blouse and disemboweled corpses were placed at the sides of dark alleyway, painting the walls with gore and violence.

"Nah, I'm not finishing this one, I guess." She says with utter disgust.

With her right hand the woman dropped the corpse's liver that had a darkish brown color to the ground surrounded with a pool of blood.

With a spat the liver fell into the ground. Then she felt someone walking near her. Using her telepathic ability she saw a man wearing a blue uniform top and a black trouser, "Freeze! Stay where you are!" The armed man yelled at her, pointing his sidearm at the woman's head.

She waited and waited until the man was already so close that he was within her arm's range. Swiftly, she rotated her body counterclockwise from a crouching position and pushed her right arm upward just below his sidearm, raising his hand upward and his aim away from her head.

In quick succession she then extended her left hand into his neck and raised him into the air.

The man grunted in pain as he thrashes his body to break away from her grip. He tried firing his weapon at her face but before he could pull the trigger she grabbed the man's armed hand using her free hand, ripping the whole arm away from the man's torso. The man screamed in pain as a pool of blood was slowly formed underneath his boots. She slowly lowered her head toward the man's twitching feet before raising them again to the man's face, and at that moment she slowly increased the pressure around his neck closing his windpipe ever so slowly.

Drool was starting to come out of his mouth and his skin turning pale as the seconds go by. It's only a matter of time before this man would die from oxygen deprivation.

"Yoshida!" She heard another voice.

It was then followed by a sudden jerk on her head to the side. It was a strong kinetic force, not strong enough to throw her off balance that is.

Out of anger she crushed the man's neck, it was like crushing a small orange. The contents flowed out, the blood, tissues and muscles were painted on her hand. Some of them even fell underneath the man's shinny boots.

With nothing to keep the man's body up in the air because of his crushed neck, the corpse fell into the ground with a wet sound. All that's left of her hand was the man's head that had blood and tissues seeping out of his nose and mouth.

"Yoshidaaaa!" The other person rushed towards her and threw a right hook.

With her right hand she grabbed his hand before it could reach its target. After that, she rotated his hand clockwise to the point that the joint on his elbow and shoulders were dislocated.

"Ahhhhhhrrhhhh!" The man screamed in agony as he knelt on the ground.

Then it came to her...the man is physically fit. His muscles were on the right thickness, right mass, and his skin looks maintained despite it looking a bit tanned that the others that she already ate. The temptation was too much to bare.

"Huuuuu?" Slowly she leaned closer to the point that her nose was placed beside his ear. "You look tasty...Mr. Stranger...You wouldn't mind if I please myself would you..?" She asked as innocently as she could.

"Y-you monster...no, you are a fiend!" The man yelled back.

"That is incorrect, Mr. Stranger..." She said with a fleeting tone, "I'm no monster, Mr. Stranger" With a crooked smile on her face she whispered, "I am just a normal abyssal~"

The man saw the abyssal's golden eyes, the eyes of a _thing_ that will kill him. The eyes that knew nothing about the word _humane_ or _mercy…_

The eyes of a thing that was born to kill him—

~o~

[Now we proceed to the latest report for this morning. Around 03:20 in the morning a horrifying call came to the Hiroshima Police Department calling for help, saying that a _person_ has been chasing them. It was also said that this _person_ was female in gender wearing a white blouse and a black high waist skirt. She had a pure white hair and a pale skin, lastly this _female_ had gold eyes—this was before the call was ended and not a single additional information was given. The Hiroshima Police Department immediately rose into full alert, managing to locate the caller's location via the phone's GPS. Reporter Iyanama Shiki will take it from here.

[Thanks, Hanabi. I am currently at the 12th Chome-7 Hikarimachi Street where the caller's address was located. The first responders at that time were Officer Yoshida Ippo and Officer Uzachiki Muzachi who were at that time were performing night patrols along the said street when the emergency call came to them. Now the two police officers lay dead together with the five other still unidentified civilians that were killed this morning. Beside me is Investigator Ritsuo Mazahama of the Hiroshima Police Department. Tell me investigator, how do you think the men here die in this alleyway?]

[Well, Iyanama-san. Further investigations proved that the men were killed not by common firearms and weapons but rather there are bite marks located at so—]

Before I could find out how the men were killed the flat screen T.V suddenly died in front of me. Bluish smoke came out at the sides, out of fear that the whole apartment room would be engulfed in flames I rushed towards the fridge were a small fire extinguisher was placed.

"Would you keep it down? I'm trying to sleep here~!" Yelled the freeloader sleeping on the couch.

"Can't you see that I am in a very dangerous position here?!" I yelled as I pulled the pin of the fire extinguisher and pointed the hose at the flat screen T.V that had flames already coming out at the gaps.

"Can't you see that I am very tired~? Please be considerate. Even though I am an abyssal I still need to rest to you know?" She replied before snoring off.

White foam shrouded the flat screen T.V. I couldn't believe my eyes, the old flat screen T.V that grandfather gave me suddenly died out after I kept it in great shape all this time….I didn't even abuse it you know?!

After letting out a sigh I walked towards the back of the foamy T.V and removed the power cord from the burnt outlet. Good thing it didn't short circuited the whole apartment room.

"Where the hell did you even went last night? You were drenched in water and you smelled funny." I asked as I walked towards the bathroom to get a wet mop and a bucket full of clean water to clean up the foam that was dripping on the floor.

"I told you I was hungry so I had to find some fishes in the sea. Would you please stop talking? My eyes are hurting…."

Slowly I opened the sliding door of the balcony and pushed the foam out. It took me a couple of strokes to eventually remove the foam from the floor and the T.V.

Now all that's left is to stow away the old flat screen T.V, man this is depressing.

"Hnggg~" I stretched out my arms after placing the T.V on the cemented floor of the balcony.

I slowly raised my head and faced the sunlight, blocking its ray with my right hand.

It's already 9:30 A.M already, and I have been living with an abyssal for almost four weeks now.

To tell you honestly, I've had a lot of questions while I am living with her. Firstly, is there a black hole inside her stomach? Second, how the bloody hell did she just consume my disastrous recipe? Thirdly, how the hell can she understand me while not being able to understand Kanji? Fourth, why does she have to bloody sleep talk in the night?

I could go on but I'd rather not want to finish this chapter with 30,000 words.

Anyways, since breakfast has been served and Hatsu has already entered deep sleep, I guess I should start—

My phone vibrated on my thigh, using my right hand I inserted it inside my pockets and retrieved it. I then checked who the caller was before pressing the answer button.

"Tae? What's up?"

With a quick gasp the caller named Wagatsuma Tae immediately threw a "Where have you been? You've been MIA from Hiro-Uni for a long time now!"

My ear rang as I dragged the phone away from my right ear. Damn this woman, can't she be careful for at least once in her life?

Right….I forgot to tell the others that I have already dropped out of Hiroshima University...

"Yeah, about that—"

"I swear to god…if you don't show up on French Literature right now—I'm going to blow your apartment to the ground." She said.

~o~

"Now turn to page 158 and we'll start our discussion about the French Paintings that were lost during the Second World War."

And so I found myself staring at the nostalgic green board. The professor was now scribbling something on the board, I did not bother reading it since it was written in English and not in Kanji.

"Oi, are you listening!? You already have a failing grade in his class so would you stop daydreaming and start listening?!" Beside me is the annoying woman that called me this morning named Wagatsuma Tae, whispered on my right ear.

"Stop bothering me. I am listening to his lecture." I unknowingly threw a lie at her.

I then lowered my head from the board and into the book that I somehow have. I can still see my old scribbles on it. The rude drawing of profession Nakijima Tanaka's face and a proper drawing of a beautiful girl that used to belong in this class.

I couldn't see her anymore, word has it that she was drafted in the military because her father forcibly urged her to join.

And that's about it. I really don't care about her to be honest. She was just a beautiful woman that caught my attention and nothing more. True we did have some interactions together like that time where the two of us were selected as substitute teachers for Professor Nakijima who at that time was hospitalized.

As the lecture goes on I flipped the current page and found myself staring at one of pictures of the said missing paintings.

It was just a simple painting all in all. Based on the words in this book, the painting was painted using oil paint and had a naturalistic theme. A column of orange colored maple trees were placed at the left side of the painting. The sun could be seen at the upper right corner, illuminating the whole painting in bright colors and lastly, a beautiful drawing of a woman leaning on one of the maple trees.

The woman had a brown hair and was dressed with a see though attire. She was holding a book with her right hand and a maple leaf on the other. Her gaze was intense yet warm and it was pointed towards the reader, it was as if she was looking straight at me.

"Priestess Marianna…." I whispered the name of the woman in the painting.

Marianna huh….? Her name was also Marianna as well though, there is another name placed before that as well.

A woman on her late twenties, she was known as _Marianna the healer_ among the common folk of Toulon, France. She was said to have healing powers that were capable enough to heal deep wounds and cure blindness.

However she met a tragic end when one of the High Priest from Italy arrived on Toulon Harbor. One day he and his guards saw how Marianna healed a sailor's wound. She was then immediately accused of witchcraft and was taken custody by the High Priest's guards and was thrown into the High Priest' ship.

She was tortured, raped, and was put into the stake after she was impregnated by multiple men and suffered a week long abuse. The men that she has healed and saved tried saving her but this only escalated the issue even further as the guards started rallying up the sympathizers and beheaded them in front of her.

Dishearten, depressed, pained, she let out a river of tears as she pleaded for her people' safety. However, she was not given mercy.

On her last day before her eventual death by fire at the stake, she cursed the High Priest and men and women in this world to oblivion. Her famous last words were: _One day, in this very hour, 1500 or more years after my death this world will be engulfed by the abyss and nothing will ever stop it!_

Thinking about it now, a few centuries later the abyssals attacked and threatened humanity into extinction.

We are literally jinxed by a woman that was raped, humiliated, and killed in public.

I guess we deserve it? I guess this is what borne fruit of our hideous nature?

I guess so….

The lecture ended when the bell's chime reached the professors ear. It was like a signal for us students to start packing up and pass our attendance sheet to mark that on this day we were present during the lecture.

Tae arrived at the professor's table first and passed her attendance sheet. I on the other hand only grabbed my book and slowly headed out of the room.

As a group of men and women exited the room a strong force suddenly grabbed me by the shoulder.

I slowly turned around expecting Tae to remind me to pass my attendance sheet but it was actually Professor Nakijima-san instead.

"Nakijima-san—?"

"Toshki-kun, are you free after this period?" He asked with a soft tone.

I actually wanted to go home as fast as I could since its already 12:00 and Hatsu's probably already awake and already thrashing about since lunch has not been served yet.

Still—

"Yes, why'd you ask Nakijima-san?"

Nakijima-san nodded twice before raising his hand away from my shoulder. He then approached the table and retrieve his belongs.

"Follow me to my office. I have something to ask you in private." He said as he walked pass me and exited the room.

Tae who was standing in front of the table gave me a worried look. She then approached me and asked "What's wrong? Don't tell me you did something bad... is this why you were absent this whole time?"

I shook my head. I then let out a sigh and said "Nah, he must've wanted to talk with me since I've been missing from his class for a long time now. I've even skipped both the Mid-term exam and the Semi-final Exam."

"Well that's also true. The possibility of him scolding you is also there though." She says with her arms crossed in front of her.

I could only shrug at her statement. With that said I turn around and walked toward the exit while Tae was following me from behind.

The corridor in the main building is pact full of students who are chatting with their friends or lovers. Some are arguing, some are laughing, and some are just basically watching something on their phones or listening to music.

"Say, Toshiki-kun." Tae walks beside me, "What were you doing this whole time?" She asked with a curious look on her face.

 _Oh nothing in particular. I've been doing stuff like doing part-time jobs and watching anime or stuff. I am also living together with an abyssal so my life has been hectic ever since._

But I highly doubt that I can say that to her with a straight face. Though, the words are real and they are the truth, I guess answering her with the truth would be a bad idea, especially the _living with an abyssal_ part.

"Not much. All that I've been doing this whole time was doing part-time jobs to sustain myself and watching anime and dramas at the same time."

In the end I just told her half of the truth.

"You sure are turning into a shut-in, huh? Do people from Okinawa act like this once they reach 19?"

"Hey do you have some kind of grudge against us islanders?!" I rebutted.

Tae only let out chucker as we trekked along the crowded corridor leading to Professor Nakijima's office on the Literature Department Wing.

By the time we reached the last hallway leading to the facilitator's office, Tae stops and turns sideway towards the staircase leading to the second floor.

"This will be my stop. I still have classes on room 255. Good luck on whatever the two of you guys are gonna talk about." She says and gave me a wave.

As her back disappeared from my view, I too slowly turned towards the door where Professor Nakijima's office is located.

A simple door that's around six feet high could be seen. There's a blurry window on the said door bearing the professor's name written on a name plate.

Slowly I moved closer to the door and knocked on the glass twice. I could hear his voice saying "Come in" with his usual soft tone.

With my dominant hand, I turned the doorknob clockwise and pushed it inward. Standing in front of a large window still, is Professor Nakijima leisurely drinking tea.

"Have a seat. I have a lot of things to ask you." He says.

I followed suit, heading towards the chair that was placed in front of his table and sat on it. Professor Nakijima turns around and places his tea cup on the table before sitting down on his own chair.

He then opens his drawer on his table and took a sheet of paper and placed it in front of me.

"These are the days that you've been absent in my class...do you realize that if you didn't show up now you would've been dropped from my class?" He says.

I could only scratch the back of my head as I read the days marked in red highlighter.

"I guess following Tae's advice of coming here was a good idea then?" I said to him.

"Of course it is a good idea. It was me after all who asked her to force you to attend today's class. I can't just let my class's literature prodigy to drop out of school." He explained as he took another sip of his tea.

I guess the University President really did keep her word, huh? Well this is to be expected. After all it was me who pleaded her not to tell my teachers about dropping out of the university. But now, I am currently sitting inside Professor Nakijima's office like nothing happened at all.

"So? Mind telling me why you suddenly went AWOL? Financial problems? Family problems? Damned that Mutsu, I thought she raised you properly." He says with a scoff.

"M-my mother had nothing to do with this really. Also, it's not about financial problems or anything….it's just that…."

"It's just what?"

How should I say this to him? Should I lie once more? But really what's the point of lying now? If I could just say it bluntly to him I wouldn't have to show my face in front of him again.

"It's just that I have other things in mind." I answered.

"Other things in mind…? Are you perhaps doing part-time jobs and has now realized that your schedules are now conflicting with your working schedule?" He asked.

Shaking my head twice I tried formulating a way to say it to him bluntly. But how should I say it? I thought mother already taken care of this….I thought she has said the reason why I dropped out to her best friend.

"Oi, aren't you gonna say anything?" He urged me as he took another sip.

I guess…..saying it directly would do….

"I'm dropping out cause I'm about to join the military."

Somehow…somehow…the atmosphere became heavy. As I sat there and stared at my hands and waited for him to say anything, I could feel something deep inside of me saying that I shouldn't have said it that way.

"I see….it seems that your mother's idealistic DNA was transferred into your brain as well." He says with a sigh, "Why are you even bothering to waste time in this _stupidity_?"

"It is a bad thing?" I asked.

"Of course it's a bad thing! Look, forget about joining the military and just finish what you've started here. I highly doubt that you'll even pass basic training with that skinny body of yours!" He yelled back.

I lowered my head towards my arms and stared at them for a while whilst listening to Nakijima's crap. Indeed they are skinny, if I remember correctly I am as skinny as my sister back when she was still alive. But that didn't stop her from joining the military—

"Surely, if your sister was still alive I knew she would say the same thing!"

"….."

"What?"

"What do you know about her…?" I unknowingly said with utter disgust towards him, "You are just a good for nothing literature teacher who's good points are teaching literature and spouting crap during lectures. How could you possibly say that my sister would agree to your words, huh?!"

Nakijima sat there unable to say something back as he leaned his back against to the back rest of his chair.

"I—I mus—"

"Spare me with the crap that you are about to say, Nakijima-san." I say as I stood up from the chair and turn my back against him, "This will be the last time I will be talking to you. I thank you for guiding me all this time while my mother was absent due to her job as a soldier…" I added as I headed towards the exit.

I held the door knob with my left hand and rotated it clockwise. I soon as it reached its maximum angle to be rotated I hastily pushed it inward opening it.

 _How fucking dare he use my sister to mark a point?!_

Raising my head upwards I then saw Tae standing on the stairs that leads into the second floor where her class is located. I could clearly see her shocked expression from my current position.

Why is she—? Are they dismissed early? Do they have no class for today because the teacher is absent? I asked those questions inside my head as I slowly closed the door behind me and walked towards her.

"Oh, um…It appears that Professor Youji didn't arrive in time so the checker had to dismiss us early…So, um, how did your conversation with Nakijima-san go?"

I stared at her face as she scratched the side of her cheek. Unfortunately for her, I actually know when she lies or not…

"Nothing really…" I said to her as I hastily walked pass her.

Then a strong tug held me from moving forward. Slowly I turned around and saw her holding the sleeves of my jacket with her right hand. Tae had her head lowered so I couldn't see her face.

"Tae—"

"Don't do this!"

"Tae, listen to me—"

"I don't want you to go! Can't you at least stay here?! Why must the three of you guys join the military and not come back?! Why must the three of you hurt me this way?! Can't you see—?!" Tae bit the lower part of her lip and raised her head. Tears were flowing out of her eyes, "The three of you are my only family! I've already lost Takashi and Ooi. I can't lose you too!" She screamed.

Takashi…..Ooi…..It's been so long since I've heard those names.

Wagatsuma Tae, Iwai Takahasi, Aoshima Ooi, and lastly Toshiki Gin—the four delinquents of Hiroshima High is what they used to call us.

Iwai Takashi—a tall guy from Wakayama. He was the most cheerful person among the four of us. He was part of the basketball team because of his tall stature. He was smart, the smartest among the four of us but easily gets worried when one of us in danger.

Aoshima Ooi—the small and terrible guy, he's from Shimane. A tough son of a farmer and also the most violent among the four of us…He used to be part of the table tennis club but quitted after he was framed to be the one who stole one of the swimsuits that belonged to the swimming club. Despite the most violent one among us he is the _kindest_ among us as well.

Wagatsuma Tae—the airhead in the group. She's an energetic person and also the most annoying one as well.

Back then, Tae didn't have a family. Back then, we helped her blend in with the noisy batch of Hiroshima High. Back then, we were like a family to her. We were always there when she needed us. If she feels down, we are there to cheer her up. If she had no money to feed herself, Ooi would immediately go to her apartment and cook for her.

But—

"Don't—please, don't bring up their names now… Takashi and Ooi have already died on Iwo Jima." I said to her.

—The two of them died after they were immediately drafted into the military.

I could still remember Tae's pained expression when she received the letter from the mail man.

Both Ooi and Takashi died after Tae and I passed the University Entrance exam of Hiroshima University. The two of us were celebrating on her apartment for passing the entrance exam, amidst of the laughers and swearing a simple letter was slipped underneath her front door.

It was me who urged her to get the letter and read it out loud. I didn't know back then that the letter was about Ooi and Takashi's death. If only—if only it was me to read the letter back then—

"But you won't listen to me! You never listen to me! Why must you be this stubborn, Gintoki!?" She yelled pulling me closer into an embrace.

"Tae!"

"Please don't do this….Don't leave me…Don't leave me like Ooi and Takashi, I beg of you Gintoki! Please!" She yelled as she buried her face into my chest.

I clenched my hand as strong as I could that I could feel my fingernails penetrating my skin. They were hanging on my side. I couldn't stop myself from clenching my hand.

I listened to Tae's sobs silently. No matter how many students pass by us on this hallway, no matter how they see our situation now. I just couldn't bear the strength to push her away.

"I—I…." My hands trembled wondering what the words that I must utter in this situation. I raised my head into the concrete ceiling. I stared at the black dot that was left out of the white painted ceiling.

That dot…It came to me, it came to me in realization.

What would happen if I too die in the military?

What would happen to Tae if I die as well?

With Ooi and Takashi gone, I was left alone to sustain Tae's living expenses. That includes the food she buys, the college funds, as well as the pocket money that she uses to buy things like reference books, and other things.

Tae has no remaining family left after the abyssals raided the city of Muroto on Tokushima.

If I am gone—

What would Takashi do if he was in my current position? What would Ooi say to her when she is this down?

She won't last long….

"Fine…" I softly say to her.

Tae immediately raised her head upward after hearing my words. Her beet red eyes due to her sobs were very visible. It pained me, it made me realize how selfish I was.

"I'll do what you want. However—" I paused and let out a sigh, "I will still drop out of this university. That I cannot revoke." I added.

Tae lowered her head again once more and tightened her grip around me, "That will do. That'll do…." She softly says.

I soften my clenched hands and placed then on top of Tae's head. Slowly I caress it like I used to do whenever she was feeling down.

Dammit…..Why must I...Tae, I am so sorry...

~o~

I've known hate, despair, and dread. I was taught what those feelings are when I was still a small abyssal scrub. The queen taught us to use our hate towards the humans as a driving force.

I've been taught a lot of things….a lot of unpleasant things….

Now—

His hands were wrapped around a stranger that had the same gender was mine. She had a long black hair that was tied into a ponytail. She was wearing a long sleeve top that had its sleeves folded neatly around the elbow.

I couldn't see her face since she had it buried on Gintoki's chest. I could feel my arm twitching uncontrollably. A _corrosive_ thing inside of me boiling like there is no tomorrow.

I was watching the two of them argue for a while, until the woman sudden gave Gintoki an embrace.

I wonder—I wonder what this feeling is called.

I wonder what this _corrosive feeling_ is called.

Should I ask the woman kindly?

Or should I ask Gintoki bluntly?

Either way….that woman….has to go…

 **Chapter End**


	5. Children

Are these your **children**?

* * *

 **April 9, 2049**

 **7:20 A.M**

 **Yokoate-jima**

With a slender hand that was covered with a black glove, she raised it into the sky to cover the blinding rays of the sun. Slowly she closed her left eye as the gaps between her fingers closed.

Then a shriek of terror came to her ears from above.

She lowered her body that was facing the large water pillar that suddenly sprouted in front of her. The water that was raised into the air then slowly descended towards her.

She took a single step back, managing to avoid a large puddle of water from drenching her.

She then let out a sigh and slowly placed her right hand on her temple.

"Section B. How's the attack going?" She asked into the air.

She let out a couple of nods before lowering her hand once more and started walking towards the cliff near the small pond.

From there she overlooked the situation of the beach with her keen vision.

From her current position she can see her underlings charging towards the soldiers that were bogged down on the white beach.

Blood and muscle were ushered into the white beach as the battle raged on. She watched how little to nothing the soldiers could do to her underlings that were seven feet tall and were as big as a fully grown gorilla.

Sharp claws could be seen on each hand, each claw were around twelve inches long and were sharp enough to penetrate depleted uranium armor plates of a tank. These monsters are called Chu-type by her food. But she has a proper name for these hulking abyssals.

"Roamers" She uttered, "What a beautiful sight…"

By what a beautiful sight, she meant how her minions maw down the humans on the beach like they were made of paper. How easily they split into two pieces when the claws burrowed into their flesh. How the blood were sprayed all over the place…

How they were grotesquely eaten like livestock.

"You seem to be having a great time."

The woman immediately rotated clockwise and saw another woman leaning her back against a tree.

She wore a white blouse and a thigh high skirt. She also sported a latex black thigh socks on her legs and a pair of metallic gauntlets on her arms.

"Empress-sama! What are you doing here?!" The woman standing near the cliff yelled in disbelief.

"I was told by my minions that my hive near the mainland has been attacked by these creatures. So I hurriedly dropped what I was doing and came here. Still I can't believe they actually did attack my hive in the morning." The woman dubbed as Empress spoke with a rather tired tone.

"Y-yes. I am sorry for not informing you. B-but it appears that we have repulsed their amphibious assault, empress-sama! It's only a matter of time now for them to retreat back to their boats…"

"It is also a matter of time now for those shipgirls to arrive and support the ground troops. I suggest you to pack up everything as well as the eggs to the newly designated location while they still haven't blockaded the whole island." The empress says as she pushes herself forward and walked towards the woman standing on the cliff.

She then stopped in front of the woman standing near the cliff and grabbed a cord from the back of her body. It was a small cord around two inches in diameter and was around three feet long.

"Also I want you to tell me what this feeling is…" The empress says as she injected the sharp edge of the cord into the navel of the woman standing on the cliff.

The woman instantly kneeled into the ground, gasping for air to come into her lungs. Large sweat buds were forming on her forehead and temple. Her hands were shaking and she could feel her chest tightening as every second goes by.

What is this feeling?! W-What is this, my empress!?

The woman screamed into her mind as she sorted out her thoughts.

Knowing that the woman that kneeled in front of her was having trouble breathing the empress removed the cord from the woman's navel and hid it from view.

"It seems you also don't know what that feeling is." The empress says in disappointment.

What was that? What in a world was that? It wasn't anger or hatred. No, it was something else. Something the queen hasn't taught us!

The empress walked on the cliff and sat down. She let her legs hang on the edge as she watches the battle ongoing on the beach.

"I—I cannot bare it any longer…." The empress says…

"E-Empress Marianna!" The woman yelled in concern as she watches her Empress jump into the fray.

Slowly the woman raised her body upward. She held her belly with her dominant hand, checking that the cord was detached properly—It wasn't.

She was bleeding heavily but not to the point that her healing factor couldn't patch up.

The woman watched from the cliff how her Empress furiously killed the retreating humans. How she destroyed six LHA's in a single pass, stranding those soldiers who are still stuck on the beach.

The abyssal princess watched how the slow battle that she intended ended in just ten minutes when her Empress arrived to sort it out.

She could only awe—

~o~

 **April 6, 2049**

 **Hiroshima, Japan**

I had six shipgirls with me—all of them are part of Fleet 15. Nowadays, the usual six shipgirl per fleet doctrine was abolished and a more balanced fleet composition is now used.

However, Fleets 15 and 18 are different from the other twenty Main Battle Fleets in the Combined Fleet.

Fleet 15 also known as Scouting Force 15 is a fleet composed of: Three destroyers, two battlecruisers, one heavy cruiser, one aviation cruiser, and two light cruisers.

I am somehow the assigned flagship of the 15th Fleet, a mere destroyer of the Fubuki-class of destroyers.

"Shinonome, the target has exited his apartment room." Said a fellow destroyer beside me holding a binocular with both of her hands.

"I can see that, Kaki." I replied.

Wearing a simple white blouse and a black skirt is an anti-submarine destroyer from the Tachibana-class, Kaki. She had a long brown hair tied into a ponytail that reaches her lower back. She had an azure colored eyes and a fair skin.

"Curses…."

On the other hand, her sister that goes with a name of Kuzu, swore as she hastily wore her clothes after taking a quick shower in the bathroom. She had a crimson hair that stretches on her back, bangs that covered her eyebrows and red eyes. She also had a fair skin and is also wearing the same attire as her sister, Kaki.

"Hurry up! We are leaving our room soon!" Kaki urged her sister who was about to wear her black skirt.

"Keep it down or else the abyssal on the opposite building might notice." I said to them.

With my radio placed on the table, I hurried ran, grabbed it, and pressed the transmission button.

"Jitsuu-san! Jitsuu-san!" I hurried called the flagship of the 18th Fleet.

There was no response. Did something bad happen while they were sleeping? Are their radios not working properly because they are living next door to the Abyssal Empress?

I gritted my teeth knowing that our target that was assigned to us by Admiral Goto is moving away from our view.

"Where in a world is Amagi-san and the other shipgirls?!" I yelled to the other destroyers inside the room.

"They are dead drunk, Shinonome-chan!" Choukai of the Takao-class heavy cruiser sisters replied with staggering movements.

Jesus what in a world happen last night in your room?! I hurried placed the radio on the table and ran towards Choukai-san who was being assisted by both Kaki and Kuzu.

"What did the bigger girls do last night?!" I yelled begging for some answers.

"Well you see. Amagi-san was suddenly rejected by a random guy on a nearby bar that Akagi-san 'the battlecruiser' found while she was shopping for groceries. We went there to waste time while you girls were so intent of keepin' watch. Amidst of the sober atmosphere, Amagi approached a random guy and courted him but she was turned down saying he already has a girlfriend." Choukai-san explained.

I could hear my sanity snapping inside my head. Why did you guys go to a bar when we were so intent on keeping watch last night?! I was so intent on keeping watch last night because we don't know what will happen if an Abyssal Empress gets drunk so I wanted you bigger girls to have sufficient rest!

"She pleaded the guy to reconsider but the guy was really opposed. Unable to keep her composure she ran out of the bar and headed back to our room. We chase after her too—"

Amagi-san why were so desperate?! What's so great about that guy anyway?! And why the hell did you run away after being turned down by a guy?!

"Oi, Shinonome. The guy already boarded a bus!" Kaki yelled from the window.

"Shit!" I cursed.

I then glanced down on my feet and gritted my teeth. With Choukai-san being the only big shipgirl to be barely conscious we had no choice but to disembark now.

"Choukai-san. I need you to drive the van!" I ordered her.

"Eh? But I don't know how to drive a car!" She argued.

I know how to drive a car! But we only had a van with us and not the usual military jeep. I couldn't reach the gas and breaks because of my short legs so I had to force Akagi to drive for us but since Akagi is out of action….

"I will need your long legs! I will do the steering!" I explained as I reached for her hand and yanked her upward.

"Get up you good for nothing cow tit heavy cruiser!" I yelled as I struggled to get her up.

"H-how rude of you, Shinonome-chan! I-I'm not a cow tit heavy cruiser~!"

"How childish can you get dammit?!" I yelled back and wrapped the cow tit heavy cruiser's arm over my neck.

I then glanced towards Kaki and Kuzu who were awaiting my orders.

"We are tailing him! Help me drag this girl to the van!" I barked my orders.

To be honest we were really having a bad time dragging her large body to the van. I was so fed up about it to the point that I had Kuzu, ran as fast as she could since she is faster than me, to a nearby drug store to help Choukai-san recover from her hangover.

We then place her on the driver's seat while Kaki and Kuzu sat at the back the van. I on the other hand sat on Choukai-san's lap acting as the navigator while Choukai-san only needs to control the gas and break.

"Okay are we good to go?!" I yelled to the back.

"Let's go!" The two of them simultaneously answered.

"Okay, Choukai-san. Please put pressure on the gas pedal as slowly as you could. Also be reminded to slowly put pressure on the break. Don't suddenly slam on it." I slowly explained to her.

"I-I understand. I will be in your care." She softly said.

"Same here! Now increase the speed to 40 mph!"

~o~

To summarize, during the trip we experienced two near death experiences and three crashes just to reach a place that's called Hiroshima University.

Logically it would only invite trouble if we enter the main entrance with a battered vehicle so we decided to stowaway the van and tailed the target on foot.

"Choukai-san! Look-look!" Kuzu pointed her fingers at the guy who arrived in front of the university gate only to be greeted with a strong punch on the cheek.

Naturally the guy stumbled into the ground. We didn't knew at that time who the attacker was but as it turns out it was a woman wearing a red checkered long sleeve top and blue jeans.

The woman was shouting heavily at the guy like there was no tomorrow. The guy then slowly stood up from the ground and walked pass the woman. He was saying something but we couldn't hear what he is saying.

With that said the woman followed behind him still shouting curses and complaints.

"Shinonome-san they have entered the university gate! What should we do?!" Kuzu asked me worriedly.

"Ain't it obvious?! Let's follow them!" I declared, running towards the university gate at full speed.

Only to be yacked back by a scary looking security guard. He was really pissed; he was glaring to the point that he was already imitating Admiral Goto's pissed expression.

"What do you think you are doing little girl?! Where is your guardian? This is university ground and children are not allowed to roam freely here unless you have a guardian!" He yelled in full volume.

To be honest I could feel my legs shaking hysterically in fear. I tried uttering some words to him but they refuse to exit my mouth. It was as if they were clogged on my throat.

"Say something!" The guard urged.

"Wait!"

I heard a voice behind me. I immediately turn around and saw Choukai-san and the other destroyers running towards me. Out of instinct, I ran towards Choukai-san and embraced her.

"Choukai-san! The guard is scary!" I say to her with a weeping tone.

"Are you her guardian? Please be careful with your kid. We won't be held responsible if something happens to her!" The security guard yelled.

"I am terribly sorry. I will do my best to keep an eye to her!" Choukai-san answered with a very embarrassed tone, "Come Shinonome, apologize to the security guard."

I slowly turned my eyes towards the security guard and said, "I'm sowwy" as softly as I could.

The security guard only let out a scoff as he returned to his post. With that said, Choukai-san and the others pulled me back into the trees near the university entrance.

"Are you an idiot?! Why did you suddenly rush towards the university entrance! You almost jeopardize our mission!" Kaki crossed her arms in front of her chest and yelled those words towards me.

I could only lower my head and assess the situation carefully.

"Alright, I am sorry okay? Geez! Okay, since we cannot go head-on with this one, why don't we go around and go in from there?" I proposed.

"Nah, both university entrances would have the same layout as the front. After all this is a private university not a public one. You wouldn't want brats and poor men walking around your campus right?" Choukai-san interjected.

The four of us nodded in unison. Since barging in at the back won't work….

"Then…How about we climb the outer walls?" Kuzu proposed.

I glanced at Kaki and she only let out a sigh. She then walked towards the tall university fence. I could hear her gulping, wondering as well how to bloody jump over that high.

"We can't jump over this fence." She announced.

"Hmm? Then let me try it." Choukai-san walked alongside Kaki and grabbed her by the waist before placing her on her shoulder. She raised her head into the sky and lowered her legs into a 90 degree angle.

She then pushes herself downward, propelling up into the air. I could hear the ground beneath her crack as the force pushed the heavy cruiser into the air.

And just like that she was able to reach the opposite side without any prproblem

"Alright, I'm jumping back!" Choukai-san announced as she dropped Kaki into the grass and jumped into the air once more. This time she grabbed both Kuzu and I and placed us on each of her strong shoulders.

However this only made a strong quake as she landed on the ground, to the point that a small crater was formed. We hurriedly scrambled into a nearby bush and hid ourselves.

By the time the security guards arrived to check what the origin of the strong quake was we were already running off towards the main building.

However—

When we arrived at the main building two security guards are standing in front of a metal detector thingy that I frequently see on the base.

"Goddamit, why are there so many security guards in this place?! Are they hiding a national secret here?!" Kuzu whispered angrily behind me.

"Cut it out or the others will hear you. Anyway, Choukai-san act like you're our guardian and tell them that you are here to ask instructions on how to enroll here."

"Why didn't we do that in the first place?" Kaki asked behind me.

"Hey I just recently thought of this idea so cut me some slack!" I yelled back.

Anyhow with the plan set in motion, I grabbed Choukai-san's hand and followed her towards the entrance where two security guards are looking at us with wary looks.

The female security guard gestured Choukai-san to walk towards her. She followed and halted in front of the female security guard.

"Are—are these three your children?" The female security guard asked.

Choukai-san turned her head towards us, she had a flushed look on her face and by the looks of it, any moment now she might actually collapse due to embarrassment.

"EH?!" She turns hear head towards me and then pointed her index finger towards her. I only nodded at her once and she immediately made a follow up, "Yes! These three are my children. I can't just leave them on their own in my apartment. I don't have a husband after all so I decided to bring them along while I inquire an office here on how to enroll."

The two security guards were shocked by Choukai-san's statement. I mean, you can't blame them. A young female that's around eighteen years old already having three children and she has to raise them on her own. A perfect scenario!

"Y-you must've been through a lot!" The younger looking security guard says as she wipes away the tear on her eyes.

"Yes-yes! Here, let us watch over them while you ask the SAO located on the second floor on how to enroll!" The older looking security officer says as she immediately walked towards me and crouched down.

Oh this is bad. I sense ulterior motives with this one!

"EH?! Is it really okay~?! I mean, these three are very mischievous. I wouldn't want them to bother you." Choukai-san another nice follow up!

"Nah, it's alright! We are security guards after all!" The younger security guard announced.

This is bad! This is really bad! If this goes on, Choukai-san will be separated from us! We didn't even bring our radios with us! And I wouldn't be able to send orders to her unless I go to the bathroom and summon my riggings and send it by Morse Code.

"Come little one. Follow us to the waiting area!" The young security officer fleetingly says as she tugs me along.

Choukai-san was really confused! Will she be alright? Will she be able to find the target and continue tailing him?! Choukai-san!

~o~

I am tired. Really tired, I say.

I mean I've been looking for that guy for almost an hour now but I couldn't find him at all! Furthermore I managed to get myself lost in these ever repeating white hallways!

"Don't do this!"

Suddenly near the staircase that I am walking on, I heard a female scream whose words in full volume.

Out of curiosity I slowly approached the handrail and leaned my head over a bit to check who it was.

It as female student, she had a long black hair and was wearing a red checkered long sleeve top. She was hugging a male student—ah it's the target!

Out of instinct I immediately leaned away. The two of them continued talking to the point that they were already shouting. The female student in particular was begging the male student—I do not know why she is so desperate, it must've been about their relationship.

"—the two of them already died on Iwo Jima." The target yelled.

Iwo Jima? Died? Who di—oh…

Is he is referring to the Second Battle of Iwo Jima perhaps?

Yeah, I remember that battle. After all I was also involved in that battle as well. Not only me but Shinonome-chan, Kaki-chan, Kuzu-chan, and Amagi-san—basically the whole 15th Fleet was there to support the landing troops that were naval invading Iwo Jima.

There were around five fleets deployed on that battle, one of which was the famed 2nd Fleet, then the 11th, 10th, 15th, and lastly the 8th fleet.

All in all a grand total of 30 shipgirls were deployed on that battle alone. I mean it was to be expected, this would be the first time we have naval invaded an island that is over hundred kilometers away from home. We even bypassed Okinawa which was closer from the mainland because of the dangerous presence of an Abyssal Empress there.

The 2nd Fleet was responsible for taking Air Superiority above the island. We didn't have normal aircraft carriers just LHA's to support the landing troops so Admiral Goto's plan was to put the shipgirls as escorts while the destroyers act as the screen. It was an experiment by him to test out whether it is viable for shipgirls to escort bigger vessels on a large scale naval invasion.

The 11th, 10th and 8th Fleets were responsible for making a blockade around the island preventing the abyssals from reinforcing the isolated abyssals left on the volcanic island.

The 15th Fleet on the other hand was responsible for repulsing any abyssal counterattack attempts to break the blockade so that they can aid the abyssals that are isolated on the island. We receive heavy casualties due to the fact that the abyssal counterattacks were fierce and we were outnumbered 10 to 1.

But we persevered, managing to repulse 20 counterattack attempts before Amagi-san received a direct hit on her magazines, detonating one of her main turrets. We were forced to pull back for repairs and ammo replenishment.

We pulled back around five in the afternoon. Docking near Asahi's makeshift dock located on Landing Area Bravo. A small tent was erected and six bathtubs were placed inside.

It was at that moment a large concentration of abyssals penetrated the blockade forcing nine shipgirls from the 11th, 10th, and 8th fleets to retreat.

We hastily disembarked and headed to the area where the abyssals penetrated. Only to be pushed back by ten abyssal princesses who have made a staging post on the former airfield in Iwo Jima.

Their minions swarmed the beachhead. If it weren't for Unryuu-san's air cover those minions would've pushed the marines back to the LHA's.

By the time the abyssal counterattack force was pushed back, around eight abyssal princesses were killed and a total of 10,000 minions were eliminated. A total of 9,012 abyssal aircraft were shot down, sixty destroyers, twenty-five light cruisers, sixteen heavy cruisers, twelve battleships and two aircraft carriers.

However we also lost: 9220 LHA's mini drones, twelve IJNAF multi-role fighter jets, two jet bombers, four LHA's, fifty-six amphibious vehicles, 120 tanks, 10,240 marines killed, and four shipgirls sunk but were recovered.

The Second Battle of Iwo Jima ended in just seven weeks. In those seven weeks of combat a lot of soldiers and airmen were lost. That was the first of Naval Invasion that Admiral Arimato Goto ever conducted, the first operation where shipgirls were incorporated in naval operations as well as the first battle that the IJN won on land.

As I remembered what happened on that bloody day, I somehow forgot that I am eavesdropping. The two students were already silent. The two of them were embracing each other in fact. Have the two of them finally settled down their differences?

With a sigh the target gently pushed away the female student and says, "Tae, I have to go…I still have things to finish back at my apartment."

The female student shook her head as she separates her hands from the target's chest. She then hid her hands on her back and lowered her head.

"I am really sorry for suddenly doing that—"

Then it came to me.

This feeling, this familiar feeling…It's the same feeling that I always notice whenever I am on sortie.

I turned my head to the opposite corner where I saw something move. I then summoned a small scouting fairy on my hand and ordered her to use her binoculars before putting her on the small edge were she could safely stand whilst at the same time able to see on the opposite corridor because I cannot lean my head over or else the target might notice me.

"Oi!Oi!OI!" My scouting fairy yelled faintly.

Goddamit, I knew it! An abyssal has infiltrated the university grounds. I cursed as I recovered my scouting fairy and unsummon her.

Hastily I ran up to the second floor and headed into the female's comfort room. From there I picked a stall, opened it and locked it properly. I then partially summoned my battle rigging, small white particles surrounded my body changing my attire from my casual clothes into my sortie attire.

With my right hand I pressed it on my right temple and started coding a message in Morse Code, I just hope Shinonome-chan also has her battle riggings partially summoned.

The message was sent and I was waiting for her answer. It didn't take long for her to send a message.

What? An abyssal on the mainland?! Where? Where are you?!

Currently on the second floor – Wing A where the Literature Department is located. I am currently inside one of the bathroom stalls in the female's comfort room.

Good, we are coming there wait a bit.

With that said I unsummon my battle riggings and stepped out of the stall. I then lowered my head into the floor and noticed a crack forming visibly. Damn, it's only a matter of time before that floor breaks.

I displaced myself to the other stall and sat on the toilet with the cover placed downward.

Now, how the hell did that abyssal get here?! I can't just sit here while the others are coming. I need to find that abyssal and take her out before the civilians finds out.

I can't risk ruining the reputation of the IJN because I let a single abyssal roam around…

Then I heard two knocks on the door. I stood up and unlocked it. Shinonome-chan and the others were there, panting heavily.

"That was quick…" I said.

"What did you expect? We are destroyers. We are fast." Shinonome-chan answered as she let out her last gasp, "Alright we have to go. We can't let that abyssal roam for much longer. This abyssal better not be the Abyssal Empress back on Toshiki-san's apartment." She says.

~o~

I found myself sitting on a small cemented tree bench just outside the main building that I just entered. I couldn't stop my urges, I had to get outside and feel the fresh air.

If I had stayed longer, this place wouldn't have stayed this peaceful. They were just lucky that Gintoki was there together with that—

There it goes again…This unknown feeling….What in a world is it?

It's like hate but not really hate…Is it resentment perhaps? No….that is not it. What is it?

As I questioned myself, I lowered my vision from the sky and into the empty field where a group of humans are playing around a white ball. According to Gintoki's words, what they are playing is called Football.

I kinda don't see the reason why they are doing that but according to what Gintoki said, "They are playing it for sports…A competition so to say".

"But why?" I asked myself.

If they want to compete why don't they use their fist to settle their differences? Humans are such peculiar creatures….why must they complicate things?

I let out a sigh as I stared at my thighs. You know what…? Why don't I loosen up a little?

Two minions won't pose a problem right?

~o~

We managed to locate the abyssal and….fuck, it's the Abyssal Empress.

She hand her finger pressed on the ground, a few seconds later two unidentified quadrupedal abyssals that was around five feet high and a had large upper body came out of the ground. They were tainted in black and spikes that were one foot long could be seen twitching at their backs.

She then pointed her finger at the group of students playing soccer on the field. Out of instinct, I immediately partially summoned my battle riggings and fired a single round at the right quadrupedal abyssal, instantly disintegrating it.

I did not care whether the civi's see me or not…I'd rather take priority on taking out those abyssals than keeping my identity secret.

"Choukai, Kuzu, focus on the Abyssal Empress. Kaki and I will take care of the last unknown abyssal." I softly uttered my orders.

Choukai-san immediately rushed forward, partially summoning her rigging that includes the three turret setup of her armaments.

She headed straight into the Abyssal Empress, throwing a right hook. Her attack landed on the Abyssal Empress' left cheek staggering her to the right. The Empress retaliated by kicking Choukai-san on the gut throwing her a few feet away.

I turned my attention away from them and focused on the escaping unknown type. Kaki was already chasing after the abyssal, throwing quick shots at the Abyssal's back.

Craters were formed as the shells landed short on the running abyssal. Kaki was having trouble breathing, dammit she's running out of stamina from running in partial summoning. I increased my speed, bypassing Kaki and prepared a single depth charge with my right hand.

I was chasing behind it when suddenly three of the spikes from its back suddenly stopped twitching, a few moments later three spikes were fired. I barely managed to evade two of them and the last one flew over my shoulder and hit Kaki's forehead, dropping her dead into the ground.

"Kaki!" I yelled, as I ran towards her and pulled the spike out of her forehead.

Dammit she's already….She's gone….

Fucking hell! I'm going to skin you alive you fucking Abyssal!

As soon as I gritted my teeth and yelled those words in my head, I saw four claws slanted diagonally. It was pointing towards me, this is not good.

In quick succession, I leaned my body to the right just in time for the first claw to miss my left ear. I then burrowed the spike into the abyssal's arm giving it the a taste of its own medicine.

The abyssal shriek in pain as it leaned forwards with its jaws wide open. It tried snatching my head while I had my guard lowered. Unlucky for him, I had my 120mm cannon pointed towards its mouth.

The firing pin pulled, a strong kinetic energy pushed my hand backward and a shell landed on the abyssal's mouth followed by the fireball that engulfed its face.

I was caught by it as well but it's better to eat a fireball than a 120mm shell.

As the smoke dissipates, I saw the unknown type frozen in position. Its mouth missing from view and its neck and torso burnt to some extent.

My casual clothes were also in tatters. Well not to the extent that my bare skin was fried like mister abyssal over here.

With the unknown abyssal out of the action, I hastily ran towards Kaki's body and carried her towards the main building and at least hide her body. I knew Kaki is gone but that doesn't mean that she is perma-dead. No, I've seen dead shipgirls resurrected back alive by using Akashi and Asahi-san's experimental repair formula. If I can bring her body back home, there is still a possibility that we can revive Kaki back.

As I grunted my way towards the main building entrance, Kuzu's body suddenly flew pass my vision stopping me dead on my tracks.

Kuzu was in a hellish state. Her two limbs were broken, blood was seeping out of her eyes sockets to the point that I couldn't see her eyes anymore due to the amount of blood that was covering it.

I worriedly turned my head to the side where Choukai-san and the Abyssal Empress are still fighting. Choukai-san was also in a bitter state, two out of her three main turrets have been destroyed completely. A single one remained but Choukai-san couldn't utilize it since it was placed at the side of her rigging unlike the other two turrets that that were placed on the top.

Choukai-san was pushed back, the Abyssal Empress moved closer and grabbed Choukai-san by the neck. Slowly she raised her into the air. I couldn't bear watching how the Abyssal Empress slowly closed Choukai-san's windpipe.

In retaliation I fired a single round at her scoring a direct hit on the head. Choukai-san's body fell into the ground as the Abyssal Empress released her neck. As the smoke slowly fades I froze in position wondering if I got her….

It was a mistake.

As soon Choukai-san raised a yell the Abyssal Empress disappeared from my view. I felt a strong aura from my left. I instantly turned my eyes on that direction and saw the Abyssal Empress with a saber on her hand. The distance between my neck and the sharp edge of the saber was paper thin…

I knew at that moment, my end has been set on stone.

~o~

A rude awakening. Yes, that is what the Queen of Abyssals despised the most.

And being awaken by her own creation was the worst of it all.

She opened her eyes and stared at the creature that dared to awaken her from her deep slumber. The small creature cowered in fear as she felt the overwhelming aura of murderous intent from her queen.

"This better be important!" The queen yelled at full volume, shattering the ears of those who had weak ears.

"Ye-Yes my queen! This is a rather important matter my queen!" The Abyssal announced with a rather stuttering tone.

The Abyssal almost choke from her own saliva. Unable to keep her composure the queen was further agitated to the point that her face was already too close to her.

The queen's aura was too much for her.

"My queen. Forgive the new Empress. She has just received her own baptism of fire recently." A new voice has emerged from the back of the Abyssal Empress.

The queen leaned back and faced the newcomer.

She had a short black hair that was neatly breaded around her back. She had this long black cape on her back and an all out jet black uniform. She had this aloof look her face which clearly does not suit with her serious demeanor. Her orange eyes glowed brightly as she faced the queen from behind the Abyssal Empress that the queen was not fond of.

"Abyssal Empress Atlantic. What are you doing here in my domain? Aren't you supposed to be patrolling the Atlantic Ocean like I ordered you to do?" The queen spoke with a rather unease tone.

"The Atlantic ocean is under complete control my queen so there is nothing to worry about. Those pesky shipgirls won't put a dent on my Sea Wolves that I have meticulously placed all over the Atlantic Ocean." Abyssal Empress Atlantic answered with a rather confident tone.

The Abyssal Queen fell silent as she returned to her original position before she was suddenly awaken abruptly by the petite Abyssal Empress in front of her.

"So, who is this Abyssal Empress that rudely awaken me from my rest?" The queen asked.

A hand gently rested at the shoulder of the petite Abyssal Empress. With a jolt the Abyssal Empress bowed and answered with a loud but clear voice.

"My name is Abyssal Pr—Empress Bermuda. I am currently under Abyssal Empress Atlantic's command and has overseer control on the Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico and the East Coast of America."

"Hooo. I don't remember giving birth to a petite Empress like you..." The queen peered closely to Bermuda.

Abyssal Empress Atlantic let out a cough as she walked beside Bermuda and continued the flow of the conversation.

"Bermuda was born as an abyssal princess, my queen. I personally granted her the title of empress because she deserve such title." Atlantic explained.

"And why did you promote her to Empress? Care to explain Atlantic?" The queen further questioned.

"Bermuda here successfully repulsed four fleets of shipgirls that were raiding my hive on Iceland. She defeated the shipgirls alone and managed to protect my eggs from destruction. For her valor and noble actions, I gave her the title of Empress and have her serve as my second in command." Atlantic proudly explained as she pats the cowering Bermuda from the back.

The queen fell silent and observed the abyssal in front of her. She was really small that one would mistake her as a weakling. And she does not possess the authoritative aura that each Abyssal Empress must have to properly command its subordinates. The queen wondered if what Atlantic did was a good thing or not.

Atlantic or Abyssal Empress Atlantic has been posted on the Atlantic Ocean on her own for a while now. She's a great strategist amongst the eight Abyssal Empresses that she had birth into this world. Minus the one that Atlantic promoted into Empress by herself.

She's cunning, sly, and dangerous if fought together with her minions but suffers a great amount of stress from controlling her overwhelming number of minions that she has placed all over the Atlantic Ocean.

The Atlantic Ocean is large, probably the same size as the Pacific Ocean which is located at the east.

She and her sister Pacific currently have the largest number of minions under their command. In terms of command, Atlantic controlled her minions directly. Atlantic likes to micromanage her minions down to the tiniest abyssal in her disposal whilst her sister Pacific however is a meticulous organizer. Pacific wanted her minions to be flexible and independent from one another while at the same time able to cooperate with other independent fleets if the need arises.

This is a stark contrast to Atlantic's style of a One Man Army command.

Despite being different from one another one fact still remains, they are capable commanders.

This abyssal in front of her on the other hand...

"My queen?" Atlantic called upon her queen once more.

"Do as you wish. However..." The queen paused and turned her attention to Bermuda, "I expect you to follow every order Atlantic has given to you—be it reasonable or not. Also..." The queen's voice trailed and then she spoke with a tone of a loving mother, "I expect great things from you, Abyssal Empress Bermuda."

Abyssal Empress Bermuda gave the queen a determined look as she straighten her body and saluted at the queen.

"I—Abyssal Empress Bermuda of the Atlantic Theater will never let you down my queen!" She declared.

A proud smile emerged from the queen's lips as she watched the orange eyes of the newly appointed Abyssal Empress. With a wave of her hand the guard that were stationed near her came to her.

"Escort them to the void gate. They need to reach the Atlantic Ocean as soon as possible."

"Understood your holiness." The female guard answered instantly after receiving her orders.

"Well then. Martha here will escort you to the Void Gate so that you'll arrive at your posts with haste." The queen announced.

"Well then. If you excuse us." Atlantic bows at the queen. She then grabbed Bermuda by the neck and yanked her close to her chest straggling the small newly appointed Abyssal Empress with her strong arm.

As the figures of both Atlantic and Bermuda disappear from her view. The queen's expression changed. With her left hand the guard that was standing on her left came and kneeled beside her.

"Mertha, kindly call Pacific and her underling from the frontlines. I have an important issue for them to address." The queen whispered her orders.

The abyssal named Mertha only nodded as she received her orders from the queen. With haste the abyssal walked towards the opened double doors and headed towards the void gate.

A disturbed look emerged from the queen's expression. She felt it again, this time its stronger than before. And she knew where this feeling is originating from...

"If that brat does not contain herself..." The queen muttered as she slowly closed her eyes, "I will have to take care of it myself."

 **Chapter End**


	6. Mine

He may be a creature that belonged to the race that attacked us eight years ago but still—he is still **mine**!

* * *

 **PRESENT**

Run, run as fast they could. There was no time to waste.

For the creature from the abyss chased from the rear.

Her wails were loud and clear, they took something from her. And they knew it is something important.

She had a saber on one hand and a wounded arm on the other. Despite the heavy bleeding she chased that one's back that took something from her.

"Gintoki!" She screamed the name of the one that's important to her.

As they arrive at the designated area. The small destroyer named Shinonome stood her ground together with the wounded battlecruisers Amagi and Akagi.

"You….You brat!" The abyssal empress screamed in fury as she slowly closed the distance between her and the shipgirls in front of her.

"Fire!" Shinonome yelled followed by a simultaneous roar of their primary guns firing.

The projectiles whistled as they approached their target. A faint white tracer followed from behind allowing the shipgirls to see where their shells are going.

The abyssal halted. Raising her saber diagonally before slashing her saber into the air and the projectiles that were coming at her were cut in half.

She knew. She knew the weaknesses of a shipgirl that summoned their rigging on land and fired their armaments.

She knew they have problems on taking out targets that are moving on land.

Not that she knew the reason why that is. At first she thought it was just a handicap but that does not appear to be the reason.

There is something unfathomable that's preventing them from properly hitting their targets on land.

With that in mind, the abyssal empress also made her move.

First she dashed towards the battlecruiser that had a short brown hair. She then leaned downward and burrowed the tip of her saber into the abdomen of the shipgirl penetrating its armor like it was made of paper.

The battlecruiser grunted in pain as she grabbed the abyssal's blade with her two hands and yelled.

"Now!"

It was a trap—

The small destroyer came to her peripheral view. On her hand is a small blade that had a jet black color. With a swift motion she angled the blade horizontally and aimed at the abyssal's neck.

The blade reached her neck and neatly tore the tissues and fibers that connected her neck together, spraying a deep crimson color fluid called blood into the face of the small destroyer.

"Akhhkkkk" The abyssal tried to speak but her blood was clogged on her throat.

As she kneeled on the ground, and tried stopping the bleeding the small destroyer dropped the small blade on her hand and walked in front of the abyssal. She then pointed her 120mm primary gun at the abyssal's head.

"How ironic." The small destroyer said, "You aren't even an abyssal anymore."

~o~

 **April 6 2049**

 **3:30 P.M**

Being enlisted in the Armed Forces is not all about blood and death. There are also dirty jobs as well. One of which is shitter cleaning, truck cleaning, weapons maintenance, and lastly—

"Corpse retrieval….."

A soldier wearing a white and yellow uniform attire sighed as he princess carried a female's corpse towards the retrieval truck parked at the road.

The female's body…or what's left of it was covered in blood and dirt. He couldn't even see the face of the small female anymore….no that is the wrong sentence—the female is missing its head. Her clothes were in taters and large cuts could be seen all over.

"That?" Asked a soldier waiting near the truck. He was holding a notepad on one hand and a pencil on the other.

The man carrying the body glanced at it once more. He took a long stare processing the words that he is about to say.

"Sixth ship of the Fubuki-class destroyers, Shinonome." He answered.

The man holding the notepad nodded and wrote the name of the shipgirl into the notepad before gesturing using the pencil on his hand at the back where an opened body bag was waiting.

In a fluid motion the soldier placed the body of the small destroyer on top of the body bag and pulled the zipper upward. He then let out another sigh as he knocked at the back of the retrieval truck twice indicating that all corpses are boarded before slamming the opened cargo door close.

"Man this is not an easy job." The soldier uttered as he sat on the grass and stared at the killing field filled of craters and vertical trenches.

The sound of the truck's engine rumbled and before long the sound of its wheels turning came to his ears.

"Care for a smoke?" Another soldier arrived and sat right next to the sitting soldier.

"No thanks….maybe next time though." The soldier replied.

The soldier that had a cigarette on his lip sat right beside the first soldier and stared at the field as well.

"So uhh, you know what happened here?" The smoking soldier asked.

"Dunno, all of the eyewitnesses were already deported for interrogation before we could ask any of them. Apparently the SS arrived first before us." The soldier answered.

The smoking soldier only uttered, "Hmm" as he watched the soldiers wearing black uniforms and red berets on top of their heads.

"Imperial Special Service Group. Who contacted them though?" Asked the soldier that had a cigarette stick on his mouth.

"Beats me, anyways I gotta go meet my squad leader because we still need to clean the blood stains on the main building. Good thing there are only six civilian casualties in this encounter." Spoke the soldier who sat first on the ground.

"Alright then, good luck cleaning those already hardened stains!"

The soldier that was standing nodded once at the seated soldier before turning his back towards him.

"Takizawa? Takizawa? Where are you? Yura is waiting for you at the University Entrance." Came a soft female's voice from the radio placed on his right chest.

The soldier named Takizawa removed the cigarette stick from his mouth and threw it in front of him. He then started stretching his arms before raising his body from the ground.

"Alright…time to clean the University Entrance."

~o~

 **Highway 11th, Hiroshima Highway**

 **3:50 PM**

A soldier seated at the back of the car let out a single deep sigh as he reloaded his Type 95 Assault Rifle. He has already exhausted nine of his magazines and he is about to empty his tenth magazine at the running Abyssal in front of them.

"Idiot! Turn left!" Shouted the soldier seated at the passenger seat.

The same soldier then turned his attention to the soldier seated at the backseat and said, "What are you waiting for?! Shoot her!"

The soldier armed with the Type 95 leaned his body out of the side window and pointed the barrel of his Type 95 at the back of the running Abyssal.

The soldier fired in short bursts managing to score at least twelve hits at the back of the said Abyssal. It was visible that the Abyssal staggered from his shots since she suddenly made an awkward looking right turn.

In a split second a hazy looking object came to his vision. He couldn't feel anything below his neck and then suddenly his vision dropped as if he was thrown off from the car.

No to be specific he was not thrown off from the car, his head was cut off from his upper body.

The soldier's blood spurted inside the car like a broken hose. The driver made a sharp turn avoiding the civilian car that stopped at the middle of the road. As he was about to overtake the civilian car a saber suddenly flew at the windshield—tearing a small vertical slit at the bulletproof windshield. The saber landed on the driver's throat pinning him at the headrest of his of seat.

The pain screamed all over his body as his blood started choking him. With both of his hands he tried pulling the saber away—with his hands away from the steering wheel the vehicle started moving sideways and the soldier seated on the passenger seat was unable to correct it.

Their vehicle made a sharp turn and rolled over its body instantly killing the soldier seated on the passenger seat when his head flew towards the hard bulletproof windshield.

The succeeding vehicle behind the tumbled vehicle made a sharp left turn, avoiding collision.

"Command, Hotel 5 has been eliminated!" Yelled the soldier seated on the passenger seat of the succeeding vehicle.

"Continue pursuit, Hotel 3. Reinforcements are already making a blockade at the end of the highway."

"Hotel 3 copies!" The soldier on the passenger seat shouted at the radio.

"Damn, how could that Abyssal ran 75 meters per second with just its two legs!?" Asked the driver in frustration as he made another sharp turn to the right.

"Stop asking and just chase after that Abyssal. Ken, where's the suppressing fire?!"

"The MG's barrel is already bright red—I am changing barrels right now!" Answered the soldier named Ken at the backseat.

The blockade that Command told them came to their view. A smile emerged at the face of the soldier seated at the passenger seat. It was checkmate for her, he said to himself.

The Abyssal halted at middle of the road and faced the blockade. Multiple assault rifles and tank barrels were pointing towards her.

"We got her! Like a cat trapped in a cor—"

Before the driver could finish his words the engine of the vehicle erupted in flames. After that the vehicle itself exploded killing the soldiers inside the vehicle in a great ball of fire.

The vehicle continued its momentum until it crashed into the side gutter.

The soldiers taking cover behind their armed vehicles gulped as they witness the last remaining pursuit vehicle erupted in flames.

They then turned their attention at the Abyssal that was standing in front of them.

She had a long white hair that was tied into a ponytail using a black scrunchie. She had these two bright golden eyes staring at them—it was filled with murderous intent. Her white blouse was stained with blood and her arms that were protected with jet black gauntlets were painted with a deep crimson fluid, it was dripping on the asphalt.

"Stand down and raise your hands into the air!" Yelled a soldier with a deep voice using a megaphone.

The soldiers that were lined on the road were having dubious looks on their faces whether the Abyssal understood the words that were yelled at her.

A smile emerged at the face of the Abyssal. It was not a simple smile that you would see on a person that has accepted defeat.

It was a smile that would make your legs rattle in fear. The soldiers felt it on their arms, legs—telling them that the Abyssal in front of them was not backing down.

"HA-HAHAHAHAHAHA. Come you little shits! Let's see what you cockroaches can do to me!" Yelled the abyssal with an intimidating tone.

The eyes of the soldiers that were positioned on the road narrowed—then the order to fire arrived.

All of them simultaneously pulled their triggers.

Type 95's, 50-cals, M240's and even the 120 L45 barrels of the Type 96 Main Battle Tank were fired at the Abyssal. There was not a single weapon that was not used to fire at the lone Abyssal in front of them.

They did not care about the highway, they did not care about the shockwaves that were coming at them because of the close proximity of the tank rounds landing in front of them. They did not even care about conserving ammo.

All that matters was to eliminate that Abyssal in front of them from this planet.

"Cease fire! Cease fire!"

"Settle down! Settle Down!"

"Cease fire!"

Multiple orders of 'cease fire' were issued at the soldiers. A large dust cloud blocked their view of the Abyssal in front of them. Even thermal-imaging scopes showed no sign of the Abyssal standing on the asphalt road—or what's left of it,

"HA—HAHAHAHAHAHA! AHAHAHAHHAAHA!"

As the smoke settles down from their view that loud laugh erupted like a wakeup call. The soldiers returned to their firing stances and reloaded their weapons.

"Is that iiiiit?" Asked the Abyssal with a mocking tone.

The soldier that was holding the megaphone even stow away the megaphone so that he could focus on reloading his weapon.

"Now….It's my turn." Uttered the Abyssal as she crouched down to the ground and placed her hand on the asphalt.

"Prepare the AAR!" Yelled a soldier from the rear.

"Come my little ones! Time to show these cockroaches how we deal with pests!" The Abyssal was screeching in excitement…

Emerging from the ground are ten, six foot abyssals that were quadrupedal in nature. A large circular head that had two empty eye sockets could be seen at its face, their faces resembles the masks that were used by poltergeist plays. Right below the said masks are mandibles and a single tongue sticking out.

Its body was covered in spikes that were three inches long and two tentacles could be seen at its back resembling its tail.

The spikes on their body were twitching loudly emitting a sizing sound, similar to those of a rattle snake.

The hairs all over the body of each soldier rose up in attention. Some were even whimpering in fear when they saw these creatures that burrowed out of the ground.

"Now let's have a feast!" Screamed the abyssal prompting her minions to attack the barricade of armed soldiers.

Some managed to break free from their fear and fired their rifles. But the creatures have already overrun their position, killing those who weren't able to react quickly. Some of the creatures even pounced on top of the soldiers and proceeded to tear their face off from their bodies.

It was not just the creatures that were summoned that started feasting the helpless soldiers that weren't able to act, even the summoner as well has started eating a soldier who she pinned on the ground.

With her right hand she grabbed the soldier's arm and tore it off his body. Next she grabbed the soldier by the neck and pulled him closer to her mouth. She then tore the tendons and blood vessels on the soldier's neck spilling his dark crimson blood on the asphalt.

The soldier jabbed, elbowed, and held the abyssal away from his neck using his right hand but it was only torn away from his body like it was made of plastic.

"Annoying…" The abyssal muttered as she burrowed her left hand on the soldier's chest, penetrating the level 5 ceramic plate on his vest as well as his sternum that protected his heart.

"AhhhHH!" The soldier screamed in agony.

But the Abyssal didn't stop, she then grabbed the soldier's chest and crushed it like a tomato, spraying the muscles of the heart all over the place inside his body.

Instantly the soldier just stopped moving. He's eyes were already staring at the horizon—all the life that was within him has left in a split second.

The abyssal pulled her hand out of the soldier's chest and placed it on her mouth. She then started chewing on the muscles that she pulled out of the soldier's chest like it was chewing gum.

After that she licked the blood that was stained on her jet black gauntlet with an ecstatic look on her face.

She then returned her hand inside the soldier's chest once more picking out the muscles that formerly made the heart.

~o~

 **Unknown Apartment Complex, Hiroshima**

 **4:50 P.M**

"Is that so? That is good that you weren't there when the terrorist attacked our University." Spoke a gentle voice.

The tense muscles on his face relaxed when he finally managed to hear her voice after three hours of tense waiting.

"Yeah, the JSDF arrived suddenly and deported us away from the University. They asked us some weird questions and after that we were released."

With his head on the wall, Gintoki could only let out a relieved sigh. He's been calling Tae's number for over 72 times already for three hours but he couldn't contact her.

When Gintoki left Hiroshima University for good this time, news about a terrorist attack on Hiroshima University then started filling the social media like wildfire. Some even compared it to the recent terrorist attack on a simple convenience store in Hiroshima.

Filled with fear he called Tae's number wanting to know whether she was okay since Tae still had afternoon classes to attend to.

"Alright, call me once you arrive in your apartment okay? I'll immediately come over to cook you a meal to help you relive from the shock." Gintoki said while brushing his hair up with his right hand.

"Okay, I'll call you later."

Then the call ended with those words.

"Ughhh" Gintoki groaned as he slid his back on the wall until he was already sitting on the floor.

 _It was a close call, a really close call_. Gintoki muttered under his breath as he looked at the number of calls that he has made just to make sure that Tae was okay.

Because of this he already expended this month's load balance in just a short span of three hours.

"What would've happened if I were there….?" Gintoki once more asked.

He then recalled his experience a few weeks ago before Hatsu accepted to live with him in his apartment. He remembered the inhumane actions that the Unitologist did to the civilians that were with him just to make things their way.

"Hatsu…." Gintoki muttered.

He then recalled the scene where Hatsu fought against the Unitologist. How they were butchered to death in just a short span of time. How she casually ate a man's arm in front of him.

"I wonder where she is right now…" Gintoki muttered once more.

When he arrived in his apartment room, Hatsu was no longer present. The living room was still packed full of empty beer cans and opened junkfoods. But his cabinet was open and one of his boxers has gone missing, with that in mind he concluded that Hatsu must've went somewhere.

Gintoki always wondered why Hatsu would leave his apartment room in fix intervals as if she was a university student. And by fixed intervals he meant during Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, Hatsu would leave early while during Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays, she would leave the apartment room during midnight.

Hatsu already explained once that she regularly gets out from his apartment room because she is still an Abyssal Empress and she still has a job to do, which is to "Defeat your race in the upcoming future" although this only made Gintoki anxious he still let Hatsu leave his apartment room and not bother her, after all she is just a freeloader and nothing more.

He could only pray that the time his race is defeated is still far away from realization.

Still—doesn't this mean that I betrayed my own race in favor of the abyssals that only see us as livestock?

Gintoki contemplated with those words and even now he still couldn't find the right answer.

"Maybe I should stop thinking about the future and focus at the things that are currently happening now." Gintoki softly says as he stood up from the ground.

As he was about to enter his room, a single knock came from the entrance. Gintoki wondered if he was just imagining things but then another knock came, this time it was basically banging on his door and not knocking.

With his dominant hand Gintoki unlocked the door and turned the doorknob clockwise before pulling the door inward.

Waiting behind the door is a beautiful woman that was as tall as Hatsu and was as beautiful as her. She had a long white hair that reaches her back, she wore a funeral style sleeveless dress and black heels. She also had a very pale skin and orange eyes which was odd.

Lastly—a tail was moving side to side at her back—

At that moment the unknown person spoke with a polite tone.

"Hi, my name is Pacific. I am looking for my sister who lives here."

Though, Gintoki did not know what the woman said to him since he couldn't understand.

~o~

It would've been fine in the first place if she finished the whole ruckus in just a couple of hours but instead it took her seven hours to finish what she started.

In the first place all she ever wanted was to let out some steam out of her head. But instead the whole Japanese Armed Forces was chasing after her. Not just the the Japanese Armed Forces but also the Special Service as well.

When nightfall came she was able to bypass the search parties all over Hiroshima and was able to retreat to the sea and wait for them to lower their search.

By the time 9:30 P.M came the perimeter near Gintoki's apartment was now cleared of any soldiers and it was now the perfect time to finally go home.

"Damn~ I haven't eaten anything." Marianna croaked as she walked inside the elevator and pressed the appropriate floor number. Although she said she hadn't eaten anything the truth is she has devoured almost 24 soldiers in just seven hours.

She could comparatively hear the soft acoustic song inside the elevator but she couldn't understand every word the singer was saying. To be specific it was a song that used a different language, a language that is different from Gintoki's.

But she didn't mind, her mind is clouded by the meal that Gintoki must've prepared for her return. How she yearned for a meal that's both sweet and sour at the same time.

As the doors of the elevator open a woman wearing a brown parka came to her view. She immediately raised her guard but it appears that the woman was of no threat for her.

Marianna gave the woman a bow and the woman bowed in return. In swift movements the woman entered the elevator while Marianna walked out.

The soft clutch sound of the steel doors of the elevator came to her ears followed by a ding chime indicating that the elevator doors have now closed.

With light movements, Marianna trekked along the hallway and into Gintoki's room entrance. A plain brown door that's almost six feet in height—Marianna placed her hand on the doorknob and rotated it clockwise, she knew Gintoki wouldn't lock the door if he arrives home first because he knew she will be returning home as well.

With all those days that she has lived together with him, she took some important notes to heart. Firstly, Gintoki is a strict person. Second, Gintoki has a thing with cleanliness in his apartment room. Third, Gintoki seldom drinks beer that is why he has a low alcohol tolerance. Fourth, Gintoki has a mother who he calls as Mutsu. Fifth, Gintoki is a hard working person, if his interest intertwines with the task in hand. Sixth—

The list could go on and this wouldn't be a 9,000 word chapter if we list all the important notes that Marianna was accumulated all this time.

With a smile on her face Marianna pushed the door inward like she always do and screamed—

"Gintoki, Where's dinner?!" to the top of her lungs.

The lights were on so Marianna concluded that Gintoki must've arrived already. She prepared a couple of excuses to avoid her daily scolding from Gintoki who now acts like a father rather than a guy that lives together with her.

Marianna then unsummons her long armored-heeled boots and placed her pale feet at the mat Gintoki specifically placed in front of the entrance so that Marianna would wipe her dirty feet clean.

Mischievously, Marianna only rubbed her feet twice before walking on the wooden hallway towards the living room.

"I wanna have a good shower. Gintoki sorry about the smell, I got hungry so I went to the ocean and ate som—"

"Oh Marianna! You took your time to get here that I almost starved myself. Here have a bite! I got this one from the meal you've been storing in here for a couple of weeks. Oh, don't worry I only took his left arm and left him to bleed at the balcony. If you want to finish what I started then go—"

A short black saber flew into the air in Mach 20 that the strong shockwave that was emitted when the saber's blade rested on the neck of the unknown woman tore a large verical slit at the wall facing the road.

Marianna's golden eyes glow in hued red. Her eyes were pinned at the woman that was holding a human's arm with a couple of bite marks on it. The muscles on the unknown woman's hand relaxed as she saw the murderous intent on Marianna's eyes.

A wet sound entered Marianna's ears. She lowered her eyes briefly and saw the arm that the unknown woman was chewing on.

The hairs all over Marianna's body rose in attention. Her murderous intent didn't last long however—

"G-Gintoki!" Marianna screamed as she hastily ran to the balcony.

Sitting upright with his back on the railings was the man named Toshiki Gin...or what's left of him.

His eyes were staring at the ground. Blood was pouring out of his left arm that was no longer present. His skin was already so pale that it had the same complexion as Marianna.

"No! No! No! No!" Marianna kneeled beside him and pulled him closer into an embrace.

He was fortunately breathing. He was uttering words that were very minute even for Marianna's sharp ear.

"ffff….."

"Don't speak. Gintoki I beg of you don't speak!" Marianna pleaded as she placed her hand on her back and grabbed a cord that had a sharp edge at the tip.

Marianna was trembling. She did not know what to do. She hasn't tended a wounded human before. Not this close to death.

"W-What are you doing….Marianna?" Asked a female's voice from behind her.

Anger filled Marianna's mind once more. She tightly gripped the cord as hard as she could to the point that her brain is screaming at her to stop. If it weren't for Gintoki' sharp wheeze she would've done something.

Marianna steeled herself once more. She then raised Gintoki' shirt upward exposing his navel. She then aligns the sharp tip of the cord on the navel counting from three before she burrows the edge into his navel.

 _He'll hate me for doing this….but his life is in danger!_

With that single sentence Marianna thrusts the cord's tip on Gintoki's navel—only to be halted by a strong grip from the side.

"What is wrong with you, Marianna?! Why are you doing this? Would you just stop tormenting this human already and let him rest?!" Screamed the unknown woman.

Bulges were formed on Marianna's temples as those words hit her.

"He belongs to me! He is mine! He may be a creature who lives in the surface—he may be a creature that belonged to the race that attacked us eight years ago but still—he is still mine! You have no right to hurt him! You have no right Pacific, even if you are my own sister!"

Marianna's words that were filled with anguish and fury were thrown towards the unknown woman named Pacific. Confusion filled the mind of the Abyssal Empress named Pacific. Her orange eyes dilated as she stare at the Abyssal Empress that she called sister before all of these killings started.

The once proud abyssal that took the mantle to attack a habited island named Okinawa to mark the first battle in this war was now kneeling on the ground, holding the same creature that attacked them in the first place.

Weeping in pain….horrified as she watches the human sitting upright on the balcony—

The older sister watches in confusion as her sister tried stabbing her cord into the man's navel once more.

Having had enough, Pacific forcibly broke Marianna's right arm and threw her back inside the apartment room, slamming her back against the entrance.

Filled with fury in her heart—Pacific's orange eyes glowed brightly as she grabbed the human by the neck and slowly raised him into the air.

"You—how dare you sullied my beloved sister…" Pacific growled as the man slowly chocked, "I will end you here…I should've eaten you fully rather than leaving a part of you in one piece."

If he weren't here in the first place her sister wouldn't have turned this way. She wouldn't have turned soft against these creatures that attacked their kind eight years prior to the Abyssal War.

Pacific couldn't forgive this filthy surface walker. She couldn't forgive their kind…she couldn't forgive the kind that mercilessly attacked the city of Uller deep in the Marianna's trench.

Pacific's hunger for revenge boiled inside her. Saliva slowly seeped out at the edge of her lips as she watched the man named Gintoki struggle ever so slightly. In fact, the man—in her eyes, was already dead.

"I am still hungry, Marianna. You wouldn't mind if I finish what I started wouldn't you?"

At that point, Pacific's vision suddenly flipped upside down. Confused, the Abyssal Empress turned her eyes to the side and saw a jet black gauntlet painted with her blood.

Her pitch black blood—the same blood that the queen, flowing inside her body.

Her vision was then covered in darkness as a wet sound of a fleshy object fell into the ground entered her ears, it was then followed by a sharp scream of the man's name.

"Goddammit…Goddammit! Gintoki don't worry. I'll fix this! Trust me!" Screamed her sister in despair.

Pacific heard heavy footsteps walking away from her and before long she couldn't hear her sister's breathing anymore.

However—

"Tsk, Abyssal Princess Moro…" Infuriatingly spoke Pacific.

"…What is it my Empress?" Asked a voice in her head.

"Mobilize your horde. We are chasing after my sister." Answered Pacific with a cold tone.

"By your sister….are you perhaps referring to…Empress Marianna?" Asked the voice once more.

Pacific fell silent as she pondered at the words that were used in that question. With a rough tone she answered—

"No, she's no longer an Abyssal Empress."

~o~

 **9:30 P.M**

 **Nagasaki Naval Base**

One could only dream what it feels like to have a vacation after working in the maintenance building for almost three years nonstop. This particular person had to make custom ammunitions for her comrades, repair shipgirl rigging, do some personal favor, and a lot more.

It was a god send for her when a second Repair Ship was summoned by her superior. Unlike three years ago, there are now three shipgirls inside the maintenance building.

—and thousands upon thousands, upon thousands of maintenance personnel fairies all over the maintenance building which was now refurbished into manufacturing shipgirl ammunitions as well.

On one particular section of the maintenance building is a basement where Research and Development are being made. A girl wearing a long lab gown that had an unusual pink hair snickers loudly as she places a liquid dropper on top of a green bucket.

Inside this green bucket is a blue colored liquid named Formula A. This blue liquid is highly viscous similar to corn starch mix with water. It does not easily mix with known liquids like seawater since its composition is similar to automotive oil. It also emits a foul odor similar to mustard gas which was toxic and commonly used during the First World War and was banned after.

With a gas mask on her face she then leaned her head above the said blue liquid and drops a single droplet on the bucket.

The colorless droplet fell into the blue liquid and dissolved. The woman that had a pink hair then took a metallic spatula from the silver tray behind her and started stirring the liquid inside the bucket.

After six counterclockwise turns the woman then pulls the metallic spatula from the bucket and observed the liquid.

The blue color was now gone and was now replaced by a luminous light green liquid. Slowly the woman removed the gas mask and placed her nose near the bucket's rim. She then inhales—concluding that the poisonous odor of the blue liquid was now gone.

The next thing the woman did was wounding her left hand using a scrapple. A horizontal cut could be seen at the palm of her hand. Gently she placed her wounded palm into the bucket and let it stay there for about a minute.

After sixty seconds the woman pulls her hand out of the bucket and saw something that will make other scientist scream in envy.

"HE—hehehhehehehehehehehhehehehe." The woman let out a wicked laugh as she saw the wound on her palm missing.

No, missing is not the right term. The wound on her palm was healed…

"I did it!" The woman screamed throwing the gas mask into the air.

This woman then rushed towards the exit and started slamming her hand on the metal door.

"I did it! Open up! I've been locked here for a year already! Open the fuckin door!" The woman screamed in max volume.

An audible flick could be heard from behind the metal door. A bright smile surfaced at the face of the pink haired woman. Soon after the metal door opened backwards revealing another woman that was at the same height as her. This woman was wearing an orange maintenance personnel jumpsuit and a yellow helmet on her head. On both of her hands are greasy gloves which appear to be fresh.

This woman had a dark greenish hair and was facing the pinked haired woman with a tired look.

"I did it, Yuubari! I did it~!" The pinked hair woman kneeled on the ground as she wheezed in happiness.

"Good. Now go to the Shipgirl dormitory building already and get some rest. I've prepared a meal for you at your office. Also, your partner Asahi will be waiting for you at Admiral Goto's office around 19:00 hours tomorrow to report your progress. Now get out of here, you smell very bad." Yuubari spoke as she pulled the weeping pinked hair woman up from the ground and escorted her out of the RD bunker.

As the pinked haired woman walked towards the surface, Yuubari entered the RD bunker and checked on the bucket where a bright green hued liquid could be seen.

Yuubari had a look of amazement on her face. She still couldn't believe that Akashi did it on her own. In the first place Akashi has been locked here for over a year because she barged in Yura's detainment building to help Yuugumo's detachment fleet out of there, stating that Yura's detainment building would only make their mental health get worse. Akashi was still two years old at that time and by two years old it basically means that she was two years old after she was summoned on 2047.

The Abyssal War has been going on for over four years already. And about a year ago, Yuubari could still remember how Akashi let an Abyssal Empress escape capture. That was also another reason why Akashi was prisoned here for almost a year.

Curiously, Yuubari walked towards the bucket and took a scalpel that was freshly used. Yuubari vaguely remembers what Akashi has been doing in this basement for over a year but according to the reports that Akashi has been sending via email—if she could remember correctly, the fluid that Akashi and Asahi are working on for about two years already is called Repair Formula 23-41-AA.

With that in mind Yuubari then slit a vertical wound on her left palm and soaked it with the bright light green liquid.

The main purpose of this fluid was to help wounded shipgirls heal their wounds faster so that they could be sent into the front lines quickly as possible. Back then the Combine Fleet which was a special branch of the IJN which is composed of Shipgirls such as herself, were quite few back then.

Specifically there are only 23 shipgirl in total on November 22, 2046 and by June 3, 2047 there are around 56 shipgirls in service. These shipgirls would sortie every day and would only get rest, if and only if, they are heavily wounded in battle. Back then the Combined Fleet would just tend the wounded shipgirls normally. If a shipgirl loses a limb or two she would be immediately put out of action.

Everything changed when Akashi was summoned. She then introduced the 'Repair Docks' to Admiral Goto, to help the wounded and limbless shipgirls back into action. Admiral Goto hesitated when the Repair Docks were introduced but with confidence on Akashi's part she purposely dismembered her own arm and entered the Repair Dock.

Within a single day her dismembered right arm regenerated like a lizard's tail. Admiral Goto immediately rallied all the wounded shipgirls.

Within a week all shipgirls were back in action—however, there is a downside with the Repair Dock's that Akashi invented.

Firstly, the time it takes to regenerate lost organs and heal wounds depends on the severity. For example, it will take a whole week to regenerate both dismembered right arm and left leg. While minor cuts and burned skin only takes a single day to heal.

Something must be done to hasten the healing and regenerating process. And thus—

Yuubari pulled her hand out of the bucket and saw the wound on her palm, gone. She had a similar look on her face as Akashi—gleeful.

~o~

Akashi arrived in front of the Shipgirl Dormitory entrance and greeted the female employee seated on the reception area. The female employee happily waved her hand at Akashi.

"Ah~ I didn't saw your face here before. Are you new here?" Akashi asked as she leaned her body forwards into the employee's face.

"Eh? Ah, well this would be my first job in the JSDF. I am really happy working with the shipgirls!" The female employee loudly announced.

Akashi then turned her eyes into the employee's name tag and pronounced it in her head.

Yorimura? Yoshimura? Damn I need to reeducate myself with these modern Kanji's. But then again if you read it normally, wouldn't her name be called Yoshinomura?

"What is it, Akashi-san?" The employee asked curiously having seen Akashi intently staring at her.

"No-no, I am just having a hard time reading your name using today's Kanji…."

The employee lowered her head and stared at her name tag. She then rubbed the back of her neck and spoke with an embarrassed tone.

"Pardon me, Akashi-san. But this isn't really Japanese….umm how should I explain this…? I am a Chinese immigrant, so um…you pronounce my name as Fie Xing Ma." The employee explained with a polite tone.

"Ah—I am terribly sorry for not reading your name properly…" Akashi bowed embarrassingly.

The employee did not mind since this happen almost every day with the ever flowing shipgirls that are going in and going out of the Shipgirl Dormitory. Today there are around 76 instances where she was called Yoshinomura-san instead of her real name which is Fie Xing Ma. But it didn't bother her, after all seeing the Destroyer Escorts call her that way has made an impact on her.

Akashi's yawn made her shook her head out of her imaginations where Destroyer Escorts are calling her Yoshinomura-san all day. She bowed her head once more and said, "As always. Thank you for your hard work, Akashi-san!"

A flushed look emerged out of Akashi's face as she bowed as well and walked towards the elevators on the left hallway.

Fie Xing Ma stared at the back of the first Repair Ship of the Combined Fleet. That sturdy small-petite shoulders of that pinked hair shipgirl named Akashi were the ones responsible for saving dead, wounded, and immobilized shipgirls in the Combined Fleet.

Without her—Yuubari won't be able to replace her and Asahi would have a hard time managing things because she was formerly a battleship and not a full-fledged repair ship.

Without her, things won't be as easy as today.

Fie Xing Ma had the most important job in the Combined Fleet. She may not be a combatant that could kill a land based abyssal nor a shipgirl that can sink a sea borne abyssal. Fie Xing Ma is a normal human being who works as an employee that writes down the names of each shipgirl that goes in and goes out of the shipgirl dormitory.

As of now there's only a few information released to the public regarding what and who these shipgirls are. Not much has been given to them despite the fact that they have been protecting the people for over three years now.

And it is Fie Xing Ma's job to give these shipgirls the gratitude that they deserve in this world that knows so little of them.

~o~

With a heavy sigh, Akashi fell into her soft bed for the first time in twelve months. It was dirty and smells like shit but she didn't mind, it is her dirty scent after all. As the dust particles settles down, Akashi turns her head clockwise and stood up once more.

She then approached a small notepad that was nailed on her personal cabinet that has been catching dust for twelve months. There is a single note written, in which it says: Top priority save Shikinami and Yuugumo, ASAP!

It reminded her of Yuugumo's detachment fleet that was sent on the Suwanose Channel.

A small detachment fleet composed of six destroyers was suddenly attacked by a fleet of three abyssal light cruisers and two battleships.

All six destroyers were sunk but were later recovered by I-1's ten submarine type shipgirl recovery fleet.

If it weren't for I-1's hard work and determination on recovering all sunken shipgirls the Combined Fleet would've received its first batch of shipgirls that were lost in battle. She was very fortunate for I-1…..and also that Abyssal Empress that spared all sixteen shipgirls that were present on that channel.

"Fuckin…..prick…" Akashi swore as she remembered the mocking face of that Abyssal Empress. How she almost popped I-1's neck like it was made of jelly and how she singlehandedly defeated all six veteran destroyers in an hour.

To be honest, Yuugumo's Detachment Fleet that was composed of six destroyers were no push overs. All six of them were part of Admiral Goto's [FIRST BATCH] indicating that they've been summoned first and were the first ones that fought the abyssals during the later parts of the first year of the Abyssal War.

Shipgirls like; Kazagumo and Yuugumo of the Yuugumo-class, Oboro from the Ayanami-class, Shikinami of the Fubuki-class and Wakaba from the Hatsuharu-class.

Akashi sighed once more as she places her hand at the lower tip of the paper and ripped it out of the notepad's wooden holder. Behind that said paper that she just tore off is a plain white sheet of paper. With her right hand Akashi then crumpled the paper into a ball and threw it on a filled trash bin that she has not taken out for almost twelve months.

She then sat back on her bed and stared at mirror that was reflecting her face. Her pale looking face and ruffled hair that hasn't been washed for a long time was roughly reflected. Large black bags could be seen underneath her eyes and her skin's former glory now shrouded in elderly skin.

"Ugh, I need a good rest…" Akashi groaned as she removes her top uniform and unhooked her bra releasing the tensed muscles on her back.

A knock then came to her door. It was not just a simple knock however—the person behind it was basically banging the door like a matter of upmost importance is upon her.

Akashi took a towel from her cabinet and wrapped it around her upper body to cover her bare chest before placing her right hand on the doorknob, giving it a clockwise turn and pulling it inward.

Fie Xing Ma was breathing heavily in front of her. Sweat buds could be seen on her forehead and she was very pale. Her legs were shaking badly and her clothes were in disarray like she didn't have the time to fix her clothes.

"Th Th Th Th Th Th Th Th Th —!" Fie tried speaking.

"What? What's wrong?!"

Out of concern Akashi grabbed Fie by the shoulders and shook her once to snap her out of it. She then lowered her head to the point that their eyes could meet.

"Fie! What is wrong?" Akashi asked once more.

"There an Abyssal Empress at the lobby!" Fie screamed as she grabbed Akashi' slender arms.

She could feel it, Akashi could feel the surging feeling of fear from Fie's hands. Akashi gulped once as she pulled Fie into her room and let her sit on her dusty bed. She then closed the door and kneeled in front of Fie.

"Calm down! Alright calm down." Akashi spoke as she examined her closely.

Fie was still shaking violently. Akashi wondered what this girl has seen on the lobby. She still couldn't believe that there's an Abyssal Empress on the lobby—let alone bypassing today's night patrol around Nagasaki Naval Base both in sea and land.

There are also sensors all over the base that would detect abnormal thermal emissions indicating that an abyssal is present. If what the employee is telling the truth then there is no doubt that the base has been raided without them even noticing.

"Tell me, what does the Abyssal Empress look like?" Akashi asked calmly.

Announcing the presence of the Abyssal Empress to the top brass is important but at the same time she needed to know the appearance of the Abyssal Empress first.

"W-what do you mean what does she look like?" Fie asked with a shaking voice.

"Please Fie, I need to know!" Akashi grabbed Fie's two shaking hands and asked her in requisition.

Fie looked at Akashi's green eyes once more and steeled her emotions to remember what the Abyssal Empress that she saw looked like.

"W-well for starters she looked lik—"

"Akashi!"

The door of her room basically flew pass Akashi and was thrown out of the room via the small window. The strong force that was applied on the door bore large cracks on the walls around Akashi's room.

"Help me!" The unknown voice screamed.

Standing in front of her is a woman that was around 182 cm tall and wore clothes that were both stained in mud, red fresh blood, and a jet black fluid. This woman had a pale skin and a white hair, she also had this intimidating look supplemented by her bright gold eyes. These eyes were staring straight at Akashi. These were the eyes of the thing that Akashi despised the most.

"Marianna…." Akashi spoke with a heavy tone, remembering the name of the abyssal that sank all six veteran destroyers and the very same abyssal that spared 10 submarines and 6 destroyers from permanent death by allowing them to retreat back to safety.

The abyssal was not alone. On her arms is a man with a dismembered arm. He was around 19 years old by Akashi's examination and looked like a college student. He had a black hair covering his eyes and a very pale skin almost resembling the abyssal that was carrying him.

"Help me!" The abyssal spoke once more, "Please help him…." She continued, her voice wavering, "I can't lose him. Not him…Not him….Please help me save him!"

Akashi's eyes widens as she realize that the abyssal in front of her was in fact not carrying a corpse for her to feast but rather a man who's faintly breathing and is standing in front of death's door.

~o~

The rain outside the abandoned ammunitions storage building was loud enough that it practically nullified the loud sound of Akashi's equipment from being heard from the nearby patrols.

She couldn't believe it. She couldn't believe herself that she is now helping an abyssal running around this vital naval base in the southern part of mainland Japan. Akashi was not alone, beside her is the Chinese employee that worked at the Shipgirl Dormitory's reception area, Fie Xing Ma.

Fie Xing Ma was helping Akashi remove the chains that were wrapped around the bar handles of the tall metal doors of the ammunitions building. Akashi was holding the right handle while Fie was holding the other. Both of them then simultaneously pulled away from the center revealing the insides of the abandoned ammunitions building.

Hastily the abyssal behind them then entered and walked towards the dusty table placed at the right side of the empty hall. Akashi—with her clothes drenched by the rain—then ran towards the opened entrance and closed it with the help of Fie.

"It's okay. It's okay. I found Akashi—she will help us Gintoki, do not worry. Do not worry a single bit." The abyssal started caressing the man's head gently.

She then glared at Akashi who was rushing towards a dark lit room. A few moments later a bright beam of light glowed pass over Fie's head and then it disappeared, followed by Akashi's head peeking out of the room.

"Come. Put him here!" Akashi called in Japanese.

Akashi was unsure whether the abyssal understood her but based on how hasty she was on carrying Gintoki towards her, she assumed the abyssal understood her in a way.

After the abyssal entered the dark lit room, Akashi took her spotlight and pressed the on button before placing it on a hanging hook above a dirty bathtub.

"Come here, Fie!" Akashi called.

Fie peeked her head beside the entrance and faced Akashi with a wary look.

"Take this bucket and fill this up with water. Clean water is preferable okay?" Akashi ordered, giving her a small rusty bucket.

"U-Understood." Fie replied.

"Marianna…." Akashi called the abyssal's name in which the abyssal turned her attention towards her, "I need to return to the RD building to recovering something. Stay here for the meantime and don't do anything unre—"

"Just hurry and go!" The abyssal yelled at the top of her lungs in Japanese.

Dumbfounded by the words that the Abyssal replied, Akashi was unable to move before the abyssal urged her once more to go.

Akashi ran out of the abandoned ammunitions building. She ran as fast as she could, despite the heavy rain, towards the RD building to recover her newly developed Repair Formula.

The soles of Akashi shoes were covered in dirt as she entered the small entrance of the white tiled maintenance building without any care about the dirt that she has left on the white tiles.

Some employees were throwing glances at Akashi as her heavy steps echoed around the building as she moved towards the basement where she was imprisoned for almost a year.

As she trailed on the stairs to the basement bunker she met Yuubari along the way and was yanked-still before she could step foot on the basement bunker.

"Hey-hey, where do you think you're goin?! " Yuubari asked with a confused look on her face.

Having had her arm pulled, preventing her from entering the basement bunker, Akashi had no choice but to lie towards her partner.

"Ah well, I forgot my tools at the cabinet here so I have to go and retrieve them."

"What are you talking about? I've sent some of my fairies to deliver your tools to your shop since you were in a hurry to get back to the Shipgirl Dormitory." Yuubari replied, instantly crushing Akashi alibi.

Akashi was spooked; she had no counter for that one. Yuubari was staring at her with a confused look. She was really intent on keeping Akashi out of the basement bunker.

"You're hiding something aren't you?" Yuubari cautiously asked.

At that moment all of Akashi's hair stood up simultaneously. She was now on a very delicate spot where a single wrong word uttered at the wrong place would endanger her.

"Yuubari…."Akashi spoke with a serious tone.

"W-What?" Yuubari was startled by Akashi' sudden change in attitude to the point that something deep inside her was making her feel wary of Akashi.

"The truth is…." Akashi paused.

Yuubari leaned closer and closer to Akashi as she waited for her to answer.

"Admiral Goto is waiting for you at the Sortie Area." Akashi deadpanned.

Yuubari leaned back and sighed softly. She then pats Akashi' shoulder before turning around facing her back towards Akashi.

"Say it directly. You don't have to lie to me, you know? Alright, do what you want in there and remember to close the door and turn off the lights." Yuubari spoke as she walked on the stairs to the topside.

As soon as Yuubari's back disappeared from her view, Akashi hastily went inside and looked for the bucket where the Repair Formula was stored. Unfortunately for Akashi, she couldn't find it.

"Where is it?! Where is it?! Where is it?!"

Akashi opened every drawer, cabinet, as well as the lockers—but her effort was futile. There's no sign of the Repair Formula, Akashi began sweating heavily knowing that if she can't find the Repair Formula sooner or later, there's a risk that the Abyssal would start attacking the base.

In the first place why is she even helping the abyssal? She asked herself that question. But she couldn't find the answer for that question.

Akashi looked for the Repair Formula once more and stumbled across a cylinder that was 12 inches in length placed on the table right next to a bunsen burner. Akashi walked towards it and lifted it horizontally from the table. She could see thumb marks at the side of the small slit at the middle of the cylindrical object. The right thumb mark seems to be pulled downward while the left thumb was pushed upward.

Following the signs, Akashi placed her thumbs at the thumb marks and followed its pattern.

The cylindrical object let out a sharp wheeze and then a bright green fluid started oozing out of the opened slit at the middle.

Judging by the luminescent and odor, Akashi knew it was the Repair Formula that she was looking for.

Akashi then traced the thumb marks at the opposite direction, closing the middle slit shut. She then stood up and started running towards the exit.

"Ara… Why are you being hasty, Akashi?"

Standing on the exit with her arms crossed was a pinked haired shipgirl that reaches her thigh. She had this look on her face that gave Akashi a mild cold sensation on her back. Her voice was so cold that Akashi unknowingly took a step back.

It was a shipgirl enlisted in the Imperial Guards. The captain of the SSO, currently working part time in the Combined Fleet—And Admiral Goto's second wife…

"Yura…." Akashi spoke with a fleeting tone.

Akashi knew she was in trouble. Whenever Yura is around, there's bound to be trouble. And most of the time that trouble includes blood and death.

"Yuubari told me about the success of your experiment. Mind if I ask to take a look at it?" Yura spoke as she entered the room with soft movements.

Yura then gently closed the basement door behind her. The sound of the rain outside the room were not heard ever again.

 **Chapter End**


	7. Unsteady

Whenever she is around—I feel **unsteady**.

* * *

 **PRESENT DAY**

 **NAVAL BASE YOSKOSUKA**

When the meeting ended all shipgirls immediately went out of his room and left. Yesterday a very troublesome operation was conducted that around 20 soldiers perished as a result. However there were some favorable results. Firstly, the so called _Humanoid Symbiote_ named Gintoki has been captured and its host Abyssal Empress Marianna has been eliminated. However—according to some reports coming from the 11th fleet flagship, Shinonome, it appears that the Abyssal that was killed in action excreted human colored blood instead of the common black blood that the abyssals have running in their veins.

This prompted Admiral Arimato Goto to make a hasty meeting with the higher ranking officials regarding this finding. So far the meeting ended with unfavorable results.

"Well that was stupid." Light Cruiser Ooyodo who was standing behind his seat spoke with a tired tone.

"Yes, I called them here to talk about Shinonome's findings. All they did for the past three hours was moaning about the situation on the Southern Continent." Admiral Goto spoke. "Has the 3rd and 14th Fleet returned yet?" Added the tired Admiral as he pushes the screen upward until he was able to see the reports that Ooyodo has compiled and sent to him.

Ooyodo shook her head as she walked beside the Admiral and sat on her seat. She then took a towel from her pocket and wiped the sweat on her forehead.

"Unfortunately, there are around six shipgirls that were sunk during the Battle of Taiwan."

"Recovered?" Admiral Goto asked with a coarse tone.

"Yes. Fortunately, all shipgirls that were sunk were recovered and are now healing on Okinawa Forward Base." Ooyodo answered.

Admiral Goto let out a sigh of relief as he read the reports that were compiled during the Battle of Taiwan. Around 50,000 Japanese soldiers were sent there to help the Taiwanese Soldiers fend off a large Abyssal Invasion spearheaded by an Abyssal Princess named Toburk. The battle started two days prior to the capture mission that was conducted on the mainland to capture a _symbiote_ named Gintoki and ended a day after the capture mission ended.

Admiral Goto stared at the reports once more. _Something feels off,_ was his first initial thoughts.

"What's wrong, Admiral?" Ooyodo asked with a worried look on her face.

Admiral Goto immediately shook his head after hearing Ooyodo's question. With a warm smile on his face the admiral faced his secretary ship and gave her a calm sentence.

"I'm fine, Ooyodo."

Ooyodo knew that those words were lies. She knew based on the expression on the admiral's face that something is clearly wrong.

She wondered what it was.

Then a knock came from the room entrance and was then followed by an entering carrier that had her attire ransacked to the point that her feminine corners were revealed.

"3rd CarDiv Flagship, Hosho, Has returned from action."

 **~o~**

 **April 7 2049**

 **NAGASAKI NAVAL BASE**

The moon was up in the sky and its moonlight illuminated the rowdy sea that was just facing the Nagasaki Naval Base. Despite the heavy rainfall the moon was not covered by thick reddish clouds.

Under the cover of the thick bushes and poor visibility due to the heavy downpour, ten large six foot Abyssals crawled on the wet mud making a long trail as they crawl towards a fence. It was a ten foot fence with Infrared cameras placed on each specific section.

These infrared cameras can detect heat signatures despite the heavy downpour. These were specifically designed to detect Abyssals that emit high surface temperatures which were typically observed on Land Based Abyssals. However, these Abyssals that crawled in front of the camera remained undetected to the point that their noses were already resting on the fence.

After making sure that there's no human presence in the area all ten of them simultaneously threw a circular objected to the opposite side of the wall.

Enlistman Kurokawa Masahiro was taking a piss outside his post despite the heavy rain. With the comfort room inside his post broken he had no choice but to take a leak outside. He had his raincoat, his rifle, and six magazines on his vest. Today marks his 14th day of guarding the outer perimeter of the Naval Base which was erected to keeping the civilians away. Soldiers like Kurokawa Masahiro are the first line of defense of the naval base if ever they come into contact.

"Ugh... When is Gasho arriving?" Kurokawa Masahiro asked himself that question.

A few moments later a hard object hit the back of his ceramic helmet. Kurokawa Masahiro let out a grunt as he leaned his head forward due to the force of the object hitting his head. Slowly he zips his trousers close and turns around to check what hit him in the head.

It was a circular object surrounded by thick fur. It was no larger than a guinea pig. Out of curiosity, Kurokawa Masahiro took the object and aligned it on his face. He rotated the object counterclockwise checking every nook and cranny of the circular object.

Having had enough examining it, Kurokawa Masahiro dropped the object and cursed whoever threw the object on his head.

Just before the thick fur of the object touched the muddy water on the ground six fingers like arms protruded out of the fur as it landed on the ground. These six fingers like limbs that came out of the fur were acting as its legs and arms.

This…circular thing saw Kurokawa Masahiro's back and immediately followed it inside his guard post.

With a strong force the doors were closed but the circular thing managed to slip in between the gaps before the door was fully closed.

Inside the guard post Kurokawa Masahiro sat on his chair and observed the cameras placed around his sector. There are nine cameras all in all. Three of them were infrared, another three with a basic feed, and the last three monitors were static. Kurokawa Mashiro already requested a report yesterday stating that these broken cameras are to be repaired but they are still not yet repaired due to manpower shortages which was understandable for his basic brain. In actuality, he was very happy when his name was not listed on the soldiers that were sent to Taiwan to repel an Abyssal Amphibious Attack.

He clearly remembered the soldiers from the 12th Regiment in fact he _had_ four close friends there. And none of them returned, none of the soldiers from the 12th Regiment came back alive at all.

Kurokawa Mashiro leans in towards the fourth monitor that displays a basic feed and notices that something was moving just outside the outer perimeter fence. Like a loyal guard dog, Kurokawa grabbed his rifle and stood up from his chair. The parasitic abyssal latches on Kurokawa's neck and strangles him before forcefully entering his mouth like a bug that entered its cave.

Its tentacles moved smoothly on the soldier's throat and then tore a large cavity that leads into the brain.

The abyssal arrived at the skull where the human brain was located. The abyssal waited no time to stab the brain with its many tentacles oozing their way to each section of the human brain.

The human formerly known as Kurokawa kneeled on the floor, ghastly breathing as he feels the abyssal messing his brain like a cat that's playing a thread ball.

Drool was oozing of his mouth as he slowly loses control of his senses, his motor control, and before long. He was no longer in control.

He could only utter a prolonged cry like a person that was told by the dentist to open your mouth. The words coming from his mouth was incomprehensible, he was basically uttering gibberish words.

The eyes were rolled back at the very rear of its sockets revealing the whites of the human's eyes. It's body twitching like a robot that had an electrical failure. The legs were in a constant state of spasm while the head and arms were still.

The corpse fell on the ground. White fluids were coming out of its nose and mouth. Then a few seconds later the corpse stood up using its two legs before leaning on the control module located inside the guard post.

Using the memories of the corpse the abyssal was able to identify which button does what. The abyssal then pressed the green button at the middle controls, opening the outer perimeter gate.

The abyssals that was waiting outside rushed in, attacking the patrolling soldiers before they could sound the alarm or fire their weapons.

And before long the outer perimeter was overrun by the abyssals and the alarms were not switched on. The first ones that breached the outer perimeter rushed towards the middle perimeter.

Pillars of red rose from the ground obliterating the quadrupedal abyssals that swarmed towards the middle perimeter. Multiple explosions then erupted alerting the soldiers that were posted behind the middle perimeter.

"The humans have been alerted my empress."

"The element of surprise has been eluded. That doesn't matter. Have your minions burrowed out into the inner perimeter?"

The abyssals that was humanoid in nature had a black oozing substance coming out of it mouth when it did a pose where its hand was touching his chest and bowing his head.

"Yes, we have found the whereabouts of your sister Marianna, Empress Pacific." The humanoid abyssal answered.

The abyssal empress named Pacific turned her attention away from the humanoid abyssal and into the carnage on the Nagasaki Naval Base.

Burst of explosions, weapons being fired, the screams of the humans and abyssals entering her ears. She hasn't experienced anything like this. She only conducted a quick plan to find her rogue sister but seeing the fighting with her own eyes.

She felt—

Ecstatic…..

She couldn't keep herself together for long. Her nether region has been soaking wet for a while now, and to be specific she started soaking right after she saw a human being butchered to pieces outside the outer perimeter.

Her cheeks were becoming red. She was fidgeting, she has to do something about this.

"My empress, what's wrong?" The humanoid abyssal walked on her side and asked that question.

It was at that moment that its head flew into the air before hitting the ground.

On her right hand was a large greatsword. It was a double edge sword that is capable of splitting a mountain in half by shear force. She hasn't used this greatsword ever since the war against the humans began. It was unexpected of her to use such a powerful weapon on a mere corpse that was reanimated into an abyssal.

"I can't hold it for long…I have to do something with my body~"

 **~o~**

Admiral Arimato Goto rushed out of his bed and hastily looked outside of his window. The siren was loud and clear. An enemy attack. Still on the bed, his first wife that just recently returned from sortie, Kaga, also rushed out of bed and wore her battle attire.

"I'll rally up the shipgirls that are currently on dock at Nagasaki!" Kaga opened the door leading into the hallway.

Fellow officers like Admiral Goto were also coming out of their rooms clearly confused on what was going on.

"Admiral! Abyssals are attacking the naval base! The outer perimeter has been breached! They are now attacking the barracks and the shipgirl dormitory has fallen!" Ooyodo, panting heavily, yelled those words in quick succession. Her clothes were stained red and large cuts could be seen all over her body. She was on her officer's attire which was a brown uniform top, black pants and long boots. She had her hair tied into a pony tail and two rifle magazines sticking out of her two front pockets.

"Ooyodo!" The admiral yelled as he kneels beside her and helped her stand up.

"I couldn't hold them off. All shipgirls are evacuated out of the shipgirl dormitory. Some died on the spot but we recovered their bodies and are now currently resting on the Headquarters Building." Ooyodo explained, grunting heavily as Admiral Goto tends her wounds.

After he finished putting first aid on Ooyodo the admiral then ran towards his wardrobe and wore his white officer's uniform. He also took a couple of rifle magazines from his stash and inserted them in his pockets. After that he took Ooyodo's blood stained rifle before helping her wrap her arm over his neck to support her weight.

"We need to find Akashi as soon as possible." Admiral Goto declared as he walks along the hallway leading towards the exit.

"Admiral that is the main problem…." Ooyodo breathes out as she looked down, "Akashi is currently missing"

~o~

It was dark, very dark. It was as if the abyss was peering over him. He couldn't feel his hands, legs, or his whole body all in all.

However, not all of his senses are gone. He can still feel his nose twitching. It was unbecoming of him since he hadn't experienced something weird as this.

Also.

"I'm hungry"

Slowly a faint ray of light entered his eyes as if a flashlight was pointed directly over his head. The light didn't blind him at all, he didn't even flinched.

His ears were singing static like there was no tomorrow. As his eyes focused on the light, a dark figure came to his side. Slowly he turned his head to the right, towards the dark figure beside him.

"Do you feel anything strange?" Asked the dark figure.

The man named Toshiki Gin gulped as he answered that question with "No, I just feel hungry".

Then the dark figure came closer to the light revealing a pale skinned woman that had a white hair and dark clothing. She had this jet black armor on her arms that was reaching her shoulder and jet black boots that was made of unknown origin.

He stared at the elegant looking woman unable to comprehend her beauty. She had bright gold eyes that were piercing through his soul as he watched them. He felt secured for no reason with her presence around.

"Is that so? Well that is normal." The pale woman said after letting out a deep sigh of relief.

It made him wonder however, What does she mean by _that is normal?_ Well it is true that being hungry is a normal cognitive reaction of the human body if it wants external source of nutrients into ones body. But for her to be this relieved, was there a problem in the first place?

But he digress and didn't asked her for an answer. Then he noticed something behind the pale looking woman.

It was like a cord, a metallic looking cord that was housed inside a carbon-fiber looking material as if to protect the sensitive insides of a cable and at the tip of the said cord is a sharp edge resembling the tip of a javelin.

Unconsciously the hairs all over his body stood in attention.

The cord was swaying side to side resembling a tail of a faithful dog that is happy to see it's human.

"Moreover we need to remedy your appetite first. Here eat this."

A hard muscular object landed in between his legs. It was covered in crimson and the odor it emitted gave his stomach a very loud grumble.

In a swift motion Toshiki Gin took the object and placed it adjacent to his mouth. Drool was starting to come out at the sides of his lip and his attention was pinned at the object in front of him

"What are you waiting for? Eat it."

And just like that he took a bite at the object with his white teeth. The flavor that assaulted his mouth was tremendous. He hasn't tasted something this delicious in his 19 years of living. He took a bite once more at the soft tissue of the object, he was, as if, eating a chicken drumstick. The crimson color that covered the objected sprayed on his cheeks as he continued eating until he bit something hard that halted him from continuing.

He pulled the object away from his mouth and checked what he bit a few seconds ago. With the crimson color covering it he used his index finger to wipe some of it away revealing a pinkish looking bone that had a bite mark engraved on the surface.

At that point it instantly came to him.

Like a mechanism behind his head, it pinged him, to make him realize what he was eating.

"Why did you stop? Aren't you hungry? I still have some here if you want." The woman said putting another thing on his lap.

This time it was circular in shape. There's this long black hair covering its head. It's face was pale, the same color as the woman's skin beside him.

At that moment, he finally came to his human senses if that's how you call it.

"The human that Akashi left us with was surprisingly delicious is it not?" The monster spoke as it began chewing on a petite human arm.

It came to him, that Toshiki Gin has been eating a human part all along.

~o~

 **WAR ROOM**

The moment the middle perimeter explosions erupted, Admiral Goto ordered mobilization of all troops inside the Naval Base with their topmost priority on protecting the warehouses located at the inner perimeter.

So far not a single abyssal has entered the inner perimeter however the amount of casualties that have been pilling up were staggering. All in all, he has tallied around 5000 soldiers dead and 800 wounded who are currently being treated on the Hospital Ward on the East wing of the Naval Base.

"Get the 4th Tank Battalion to clog the entrance we don't want them to close in!" A commander of the army inside the war room ordered via telecom.

Multiple monitors were placed inside the war room. Each monitor assigned on each wing of the inner and middle perimeters.

"Admiral!"

Covered in blood stains all over her body, a small destroyer from the Fubuki-class, Hatsuyuki, yelled. She then rushed towards the Admiral's desk and saluted the admiral with a satisfied look.

"The 11th Squadron has returned but has sustained heavy damage. We need the Main Fleets now admiral or we'll be cut off from the rest of the Southern Army!"

Admiral Goto did not raise his head. He only stared at the terminal in front of him. Displayed on the terminal are six combined fleets composed of three Main Battle Fleets of the Imperial Japanese Navy.

All of which are currently deployed all over the Japanese Area of Responsibility. In which Japan is responsible for protecting its surrounding Sea Sectors as well as the liberated Islands scattered all over the Pacific.

With all MBF's mobilized which composed almost two-thirds of the Imperial Japanese Navy's Shipgirl detachment-The Combined Fleet Detachment; the ones that are remaining are shipgirls recovering their wounds and are detached from the heavier Main Battle Fleets.

Most of them haven't fully recovered from their wounds but are still sortied due to the attack.

"We are all alone for now, Hatsuyuki. Supporting squadrons from the East, West, Central, and Northern Naval bases can't penetrate the heavy concentration of Abyssals on the surrounding sea…. Your squadron and Kasumi's squadron are all we have. "Admiral Goto said with a deep tone. A tone that Hatsuyuki herself bore into her head telling her that the situation is super dire.

"I understand…I will be at the docking area to resupply and await further orders."Hatsuyuki answered before saluting to the Admiral then leaving with hasty strides.

Admiral Goto stared at the back of the small destroyer before she turned to the left disappearing from his view. The terminal before him was blinking red, A shipgirl has sustained heavy damage. His expression changed as a sweat bud trailed from his temple into his right cheek.

"We are being pushed back on all sectors. Where the hell is Akashi…..We need that Repair Fluid now…"

"Hmmmm, it seems we are in a pickle."

Admiral Goto fell silent as he slowly turned his head towards the origin of that voice. Standing behind him is a shipgirl with a long pink hair that was tied neatly with multiple ribbons.

She had this expression on her face that Admiral Goto knew well. It's something that he despised but at the same time admire.

"What are you doing here, Yura. Weren't you supposed to be at the Hospital Ward recovering?"

Yura leans in and waves her index finger and middle finger while at the same time making a tsk tsk sound with her tongue.

"I was, a while ago, that is until I visited Akashi that she presented me the Repair Fluid! Seeee? Even my dismembered arm has healed~!"

Admiral Goto could not believe what he is seeing. A fully regenerated arm is swaying in front of him when a week ago it wasn't even there in the first place.

He couldn't believe it. He couldn't believe that Akashi made something this revolutionary.

"W-Where is she right now?! We need the Repair Fluid to be distributed immediately to the other wounded shipgirls in the Hospital Ward."

"She's already mass producing the fluid as we speak. If you want to find her she is in her Assembly Area right now."

Admiral Goto nodded as he stood up from his chair and said, "Go to the assembly area and distribute it to the wounded shipgirls. Once they have fully recovered call them all here for briefing."

"Roger~" Yura rotated counterclockwise and walked towards the exit. She had her eyes closed…..and a sinister smile painted on her face.

~o~

 **8th Main Battle Fleet**

 **300 Kilometers away from Okinawa**

"A retreat order has been issued! Takao what should we do?!"

Trailing behind a tall heavy cruiser type shipgirl, Takao, is a small destroyer from the Mutsuki-Class. She had a brown hair and a black sailors uniform that had multiple penetration holes all over. She had a bit of her skull fried into crisp but she was still capable of performing speech and critical thinking.

"There is not much we can do. We are falling back to Nagasaki." Takao who is their fleet flagship announced with a soft voice.

"But what about the personnel left on the island?! If we leave them an invasion force will surely come and overrun them!" Another heavy cruiser from the Aoba-Class, Kinugasa spoke her objection.

"What can a heavily damaged fleet of 10 shipgirls do against a combined fleet of battleships and multiple Wo-class carriers?" Takao asked whilst focusing on what's ahead of them.

"We can at least buy some time for the Okinawan personnel to evacuate!"

"With what? There aren't any ships in that island and the transport planes were destroyed from the recent air raid…..if you want a death wish do as you please but I will not let you involve the other shipgirls in this fleet with your demise."

Takao's words pieced Kinugasa's chest like an ice-pick. Its true that they can't do anything to a heavy fleet of battleships and carriers, it's painful to accept it but these are the facts. It was very hard for her to make a counterargument with it. But to leave thousands of personnel on that island alone…

"I will say it once more. We will retreat to Nagasaki. Restock on ammo and fuel then comeback. That is if the admiral orders us to sortie. Any objections?"

No one spoke a word. Takao turns her head towards the rear. She can see a line of heavily wounded shipgirls that have been protecting the island of Okinawa from the Abyssals until the ammo and fuel supplies on the island has exhausted. If she wanted to, she wants Wakaba to take command of the fleet so that she can stay behind to cover their retreat but knowing that the Admiral and her second in command wouldn't allow a lone wolf scenario, Takao chose the bad decision.

"Leaving behind those many personnel….."

"Don't think about it." Wakaba said behind her.

The puny destroyer has seen better days and for her to be this heavily damaged it gave Takao a hard fist jab in the gut.

"The two of us has been through this. Don't dwell too much on it and focus on getting the fleet back to Nagasaki." Wakaba urged wiping away the trailing blood from her forehead.

"Telling me this in that state isn't really convincing." Takao said with a soft tone.

"Since when did you ever listen to my advises? You never listen to me back when I was your flagship." Wakaba complained with a grumble.

"Sorry, senpai"

"Would you stop calling me that? A big girl like you calling me that is gross."

"Hey that hurts." Takao faced the front with a forced smile.

~o~

 **AKASHI'S WAREHOUSE**

 **NAGASAKI NAVAL BASE**

It was like a market place. Small fairies were busy putting _Repair Buckets_ to the bathtub placed inside Akashi's factory. A long line of shipgirls from different fleets could be seen as well as heavily damaged shipgirls that just came back from a long sortie.

They weren't forming a line to take a normal bath, no, they were waiting in line so that they could take a bath with Akashi's miracle invention, The Repair Formula.

One after another, shipgirls with varying wounds were healed like their bodies were replaced with a new one in a split second.

Some were even starting to wound themselves out of curiosity if the fluid really did regenerated their wounds. In which it convincing them that they are not imagining it.

Slowly the long line became short, the last shipgirls being the ones that just recently arrived from sortie.

Once every shipgirl from a certain fleet is fully healed they are immediately assembled in the war room for debriefing.

Before long the last shipgirl heading towards the bathtub was Kaga, Admiral Goto's secretary. She chose not to line with the other shipgirls in favor of overseeing them being healed one by one. When the last shipgirl got out of the bathtub she then followed by putting her legs inside the empty tub first then carried her weight into the tub. She let out a groaning sigh before nodding at the small fairy standing at the rims of the bathtub.

The fairy had two signal sticks on both hands, signaling a crane beside the bathtub. The fairy operating the crane navigated the hook, located hanging at the crane's tip, above the repair bucket before it lowered down towards the handles of the repair bucket. Then when the hook was safely attached at the bucket's handle the hook was pulled up using strong cables that are capable of carrying the bucket..

A warm stream of water then poured inside the bathtub. It was not just a normal water though. This warm water is Akashi's special healing water that is capable of healing small wounds but incapable of regenerating lost limbs and destroyed organs.

The healing water slowly rose until it reaches Kaga's bosom; almost overfilling the bathtub.

Then the repair bucket came overhead. A smaller hook was attached at the bottom of the bucket and when the signal fairy gestured that it was now okay to pour the repair formula the crane operator fairy pulled the lever that controls the small hook the was attached at the bottom of the bucket making it list in a small angle.

The green luminous fluid poured into the bathtub mixing with the healing water and blood from Kaga's wounds.

Kaga let out an assaulting moan. It was as if her insides were being touched. It neither felt numb, disgusting, or weird to her. No, it felt really good to her.

She held her shoulders like a freezing woman left alone in a blizzard storm. The warm feeling all over body was too much that it gave her flushed look on her face.

The fairies near the bathtub were blushing mischievously. For them seeing a moaning and flushed shipgirl is already a reward for their hard work.

"Haaaa~"

Kaga felt rejuvenated after letting out one last moan. She stretches her arms to the point that they could no longer do so. She was like a girl that just woke up from a good night's sleep.

The numbs, shoulder aches, headaches, and stress that was known to be unable to be remedied was also gone. Kaga felt like a shipgirl that was just recently summoned.

"Thank you fairies for assisting us shipgirls." Kaga said as she got out of the bathtub with her clothes still drenched.

"Oi oi oi oi! [Just doing our jobs ma'am!]" The chief of the fairies that resembles Akashi said with a smile of her face and a thumb's up gesture.

Kaga walked towards the changing room located near the bathtub. Once inside she finds her new pair of dry clothes placed neatly on the long table. As she was fixing her inner garments the locker room's door opened with a loud noise. Not knowing who the person was, Kaga slowly turns around as she covered her bosom with her clothing.

"Kaga-san!" A man wearing a worker's attire shouted.

Immediately the worker regretted. What was staring in front of him was a very cold looking Kaga that had her brown eyes almost glowing in fury. The worker's body was quivering in fear as he watched Kaga finished wearing her clothes.

"Why are you here young man?" Kaga asked with a deep voice.

"I was ordered by Admiral Goto to take you to his office. It's an urgent manner." The worker explained.

Kaga nodded as she slowly wore her stockings and shoes before approaching the worker. With her left hand she then rests it on the worker's right shoulder.

"Be reminded that this is a locker room. If this happens again, you know the reciprocation right?"

The worker nodded as hard as he could. The weight on his right shoulder was too much for him. He felt that his shoulder was gonna pop off.

And then just like that the weight on his shoulder was lifted. He opened his eyes once more and Kaga's presence was no longer to be seen. He breathe out a sigh of relief, knowing that he almost died from her presence a while ago there.

~o~

"I'm here~" Kaga's voice echoed inside Admiral Goto's emptied office.

The lights were off and the furnitures were nowhere to be seen. The windows were closed and a man wearing a white officer's attire could be seen sitting behind a table.

"I have ordered a massive evacuation of the Naval Base." A deep voice echoed.

With his back facing Kaga, Admiral Goto observed the fighting that is currently ongoing at the middle perimeter. He could see ambulances going near and out of the perimeter. Soldiers running frantically and workers hastily packing up the equipment inside a large cargo truck.

"Is there no way for us shipgirls to do something about the abyssal problem?" Kaga asked as she walked towards her dear admiral.

When she arrived beside him, he was reading a report that had a few paragraphs written on it. Based on her admiral's expression it was something very important.

"The order came from the high castle. It seems that this is not just a mere attack but a large scale invasion of the Kyushu Island." Admiral Goto explained.

"But-Something like this couldn't have been prepared in a single night right? We were patrolling the seas day and night. This is no such possibility that they could have gathered a large force to invade the mainland." Kaga argued.

"Unfortunately the worst happened. Kagoshima, Naha, Sasebo, and Miyazaki have already fallen to the abyssals. Our last stronghold in Fukuoka will not last long. So the Emperor with his advisers have decided to sacrifice the Southern Army until all civilians have evacuated to the Chougoku region."

"You've got to be kidding me. What about us? What about the Combined fleet?" Kaga felt infuriated after listening her admiral's words.

Admiral Goto leans into the back of his seat and stared at Kaga with a defeated look. Kaga couldn't bare to look at him. Seeing a man like him giving her that face was…..in all respect, disgusts her.

"We retreat first. Leaving behind the soldiers defending here…..orders are orders after all, Kaga." Admiral Goto spoke with a tone that gave Kaga the chills on her spine.

"Most of those soldiers are Navy personnel not the Army. They are your responsibility! You just cant leave them here to die!"

Kaga spoke her opposition. She despised the Army more than anyone else in the Armed Forces. The way they handled the people back from the previous war put a hole in her heart. She can't forgive them nor the politicians back at the time.

So it did not surprise Admiral Goto when he heard Kaga's clear discrimination towards Army personnel. He understands her. He also understands the weight of the problem at hand. With him being the only high ranking officer in the Naval Base and the army commander a rank below him, he alone dictates the decisions that must be done in the Naval Base.

"I've spoken to the Army commander. It was his decision and the ground officers under him. We will retreat to Fukuoka while his men will stay behind to ensure that navy personnel aside from the Marine Guards are to retreat." Admiral Goto explained.

"I don't like it." Kaga immediately spoke.

"What's to like about it? Telling a naval officer to retreat from the mouth of an army officer is really fuckin' irritating me." Admiral Goto scratched the back of his head as he let out a sigh.

"Exactly, we'll be branded as cowards for leaving behind those soldiers while we tuck our tail underneath our legs." Kaga says crossing her arms on her chest and her posture tilted a bit to the side.

"So I basically told him, fuck you and your samurai traditions. Because the Combined Fleet will not retreat until all of his men gets out, alive."

Kaga nodded in agreement. With that said she leans in and listened.

"So the plan is to carve a path towards Fukuoka. We have limited amounts of cargo ships here so we have to leave behind a lot of equipment and prioritize on the lives of the personnel."

Admiral Goto then took a map from underneath his table cabinet and placed it on his table. With a red marker he then drew a path on the sea towards Fukuoka harbor.

"There will be ten Main battle fleets participating in this operation while the other fleets will be returning to their respective sectors and clear out the abyssals on their area. Key important sectors include: Guam, Sakhalin, Okinawa, Busan, Iwo Jima, Vladivostok, Hokkaido, and the Aleutian islands."

Numbers were written in each section designating the fleet that is assigned to clear out the sector. Each sector has two fleets assigned to it with Okinawa having three fleets which means…

"Okinawa is being invaded again?" Kaga asked.

"Yes, I really want to ask the abyssals at least once why they keep invading that island while the farthest island that we control, Guam, is not even attacked at least once." Admiral Goto added with a sigh.

Kaga looked at the numbers assigned on Okinawa. The eighth, third, and eleventh fleets were assigned with notes written on each fleet.

The eight fleet was assigned on vanguard. Third fleet the main body of the task force and the eleventh fleet assigned as the backbone. All in all a total of 31 shipgirls are sent on Okinawa.

"This operation will strain our resources to the point that we will be scrapping the barrel." Kaga spoke, knowing the extent of the expenses that will be used for this operation.

Operation Okinawa and Operation Fukuoka Pathfinder. Including the sector clearing and the excessive use of multiple heavier composed fleets.

"We are in a dire situation, I know. So you must make sure that each one of your girls will do their utmost best until we recover or find a breathing space by retreating to the Chougoko Region." Admiral Goto had a determined look on his face.

Something inside Kaga swirled like a hurricane passing over a major city right at the center of the hurricane. Like a person who has seen the eye of the storm, a calm period where u could see the sun and the strong winds and rain has stopped. But deep inside you still know that the worst has not yet finished and you start to prepare yourself for the second round of harsh winds and rains.

"I will make sure this operation will be successful, Admiral. You can count on me." Kaga said with determination burning on her eyes.

Admiral Goto nodded and a smile was formed on his face, "Let's show this fuckers not to mess on our turf."

~o~

"Gintoki, please listen to me!"

"Stay away from me you monster! I can't believe it. I ate a human flesh. What the hell did you do to me!?"

The abyssal that was locked inside the area where a man named Toshiki Gin woke up, tried her best not to punch the steel door because she knows that the man she calls Gintoki is behind it.

Breathing heavily, Gintoki pressed his rumbling stomach that was shouting for more meat. Tears were coming out of his tear ducks as he slams his head into the steel door making a strong loud noise.

At that point the abyssal behind the door was starting to become anxious. If she can't reach him in time there will be a chance that he will do something irrational.

But then again what is rational to an abyssal like her that has infected a dead human body with her genes? Genes of unknown origin. Genes that came from her queen. Genes that makes her an abyssal, a monster.

"Gintoki listen to me! You died. You were attacked by my sister and I failed to protect you. When you were dying on my hands I didn't knew what to do. So I went here to ask help from a shipgirl to heal your wounds but she didn't came back and you died in front of me. I couldn't accept it…I couldn't accept it at all. I had no choice but to infect you with my genes….." The abyssal empress named Marianna explained with a soft and fleeting voice.

She pressed her armored hand into her cheeks feeling something warm trailing from her eyes. Her cheeks felt warm as well, her heart throbs so loudly that it was hurting her.

Slowly she aligns her finger into her eyes. It was a small speck of water. And she could feel more coming out of her eyes. With both hands she wiped her eyes until it was sore. She never felt this before, this feeling of intense sorrow.

His genes…it has affected me…..

Not just his genes, words, languages, places, things, names and such were as well transferred to her and it also includes the thing called human emotions which she did not posses.

Marianna felt something coming out of her stomach. It was a strong urge and she couldn't hold it in. With a wet sound she vomited out the contents of her stomach. A red looking wet substance that was compressed like a burger patty sprawled into the concrete floor.

 _What the hell…..is my body_ _rejecting it?_

"Why?!"

She heard a muffled scream behind the steel door. Confused, she raised her hand and spoke.

"Gintoki?"

"Why am I feeling relieved when I can't even remember who you are?! Why are you calling me Gintoki? Is that my name?! I can't remember anything at all!"

Marianna gritted her teeth and urged herself not to scream. She miscalculated, that was her first thoughts when Gintoki said that he couldn't remember her. She can bring back Gintoki by infected him with her genes but the brain cells that contains memories need sometime to be regenerated. And also a possibility of a memory not coming back is also there.

"Your name is Toshiki Gin. You live in Hiroshima together with your mother. Your mother left your apartment to serve the army. Her name is Mutsu."

"Why do you know this? Who told you all of this?!"

"My name is Marianna and you told me everything about you. You cooked for me, gave me shelter, gave me everything. You gave me a home, Gintoki."

Marianna presses her forehead into the steel door. She can feel Gintoki's presence behind the steel door. His back was pressed against it and he was hugging his head.

"Please believe me…I would never anything to hurt you. I couldn't bare to do it."

She can feel Gintoki's racing heartbeat slowing down. But that was just not the single thing she felt. She felt another as well. A beating heart of a Chu-type.

Marianna immediately slams her hands into the concrete wall near the steel door, making a hole that was big enough to slip herself through. The force was strong enough that the adjacent wall had a similarly shaped hole on it.

On her hand was the head of the Chu-type. Its body deteriorated into black goo because of the intense force that Marianna forced into its body.

The ceiling, surround corridors, and even the man sitting behind the steel door was painted with the black goo.

Marianna dropped the head of the Chu-type and walked towards the sitting Gintoki. His face was covered in goo so Marianna unmaterializes her gauntlets and touched him by the cheek, removing the black goo that was covering his face.

Gintoki had a pale looking skin. His skin is similar to those of an abyssal than a corpse. His eyes were glowing crimson orange, a bit different from Marianna's gold eyes.

However she can feel nothing about him. She…..sees him as an abyssal, no, but his presence was of a human being. A pseudo abyssal was what Marianna thought.

"Its not safe here. We have to leave." Marianna spoke as she grabbed him by the arm.

"What the hell was that? I felt its presence a while ago but I thought I was just imagining it!"

"Listen to me!" Marianna screamed raising Gintoki into his feet before embracing him, "Listen to me. Whatever happens I am here to protect you. If you need something just ask me. For now, we must go home."

"Home….?"

"Yes, home. Our home…and I will take you there safely." Marianna answered with a gentle voice.

 **CHAPTER END**

* * *

 **Sorry for the late chapter guys. A lot of things happened in my country and I had to serve. Anyways expect new chapters coming out soon**

 **UPDATED 10-09-18 - Corrected wrong grammars and repeating words**


	8. Scream

Under the white light. Under the moonlight. Listen to my **scream**.

* * *

 **Nagasaki Naval Base**

 **8:30 P.M**

 **2 hours before departure**

Like most of the grunts that were following me, I've had the general idea on what's going to happen. The information did not come in a lieu but rather it came from a reliable source.

It came from our dearest friend working in Akashi's warehouse. Word got out that the shipgirls are being mobilized in mass, all of which have somehow regained their lost limbs and healed their wounds. Also, Admiral Goto's _workers_ have been packing up equipment inside transport trucks and transferring them to the transport ships docked near our position.

Our platoon leader, Staff Sergeant Isuzugomo Ukue wants the remaining grunts guarding the most eastern part of the inner perimeter to go to the ammunition warehouse which was abandoned some time ago.

A weapons platoon carrying mortars and heavy machine guns were sent here a few hours ago but they've gone quiet and we haven't heard of them ever since.

Third platoon which was commanded by me, was sent to investigate the missing platoon of eight soldiers.

When we arrived at the ammunition warehouse what we saw was a pile of dead humanoid abyssals seemingly cut down using a saber and they looked very fresh to me.

"Dammit the stench."

"It's very nauseating, I know. But we must find the missing soldiers and hurry back." I said to them.

Three of my men slowly walked their way around the pile of dead abyssals and approached the broken entrance of the warehouse. The steel doors were blasted open from the inside as I examined it and the smell of burning metal assaulted my nose. Either it was breached from the inside using explosives or something punched this steel door open.

A guy from first squad named Tatsuto entered the warehouse first and threw a red flare inside the dark warehouse. He was then followed by the others, pointing their flashlights on every direction.

"See anything?" I asked them.

"Nothing….." Tatsuto replied with a cold tone.

As the guy taking the point, he suddenly raised his arm to his side. All six of us stopped and crouched down. Slowly we pointed our flashlights towards the front, seeing a large puddle of blood in front of us.

Droplets were coming from the ceiling. Hanging upside down was a soldier with a large wound on his neck. His eyes were rolled to the back and a black biomass could be seen wrapped around his leg.

"What the hell…." Tatsuto spoke in disbelief.

"The abyssals did this….?" A soldier asked.

"Obviously, what do you think rookie?" Tatsuto replied.

I shrugged and took a knee beside Tatsuto. I then said, "It looks fresh." Examining the blood puddle in front of me.

Tatsuto nodded as he turns towards me and said, "That's one of the eight soldiers."

"I hope some of them made it." I casually said.

But no, that does not seem to be the case. Because after locating one of the missing soldiers we heard something coming from the inner room. We walked our way pass the blood puddle and pressed ourselves against the wall right next to the door where the sound came.

The rain has long gone pass, and that sound that we heard was something that I have heard in the past. It's not the sound of water dripping on the floor but the sound of biomass dropping into the ground.

"Command" I unconsciously pressed the transmitter on my radio.

Despite the static and lack of reply, I just said "I've found the missing platoon."

In front of us, a woman wearing a black attire. She had a pure white hair and porcelain skin. She was holding a head with her right hand and was surrounded with corpses in worst shape. Limbs were scattered everywhere and ammo castings could be seen mixed in with the blood pool that was surrounding a soldier that was piled over another.

The hairs all over my body stood in attention as I pointed my flashlight towards the dark figure that had a white hair. She squinted her eyes and covered her blood soaked mouth as if she was embarrassed by it.

"Hmm? What's this? Isn't it bad manners for men to be looking at women eating her meal?" Asked the abyssal in front of us.

"…Open fire."

Her orange eyes were…devouring us. Devouring us whole….

~o~

 **Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan**

 **KANMONKYO BRIDGE**

They were told to hold the line as long as possible. Not a single step back was the order. Tanks, choppers, soldiers, and even police officers were taking up positions on the perimeter defense of the city.

Some of these soldiers weren't even Japanese. These soldiers came from a certain island nation on South East Asia.

Despite that they still took defensive positions on a hill overlooking the bridge that connects the Kyushu Region to the Chougoko Region. They had orders to defend the mountain as well as destroying the bridge if ever the abyssals break through the lines.

To do that they placed explosives along the bridge's supports as well as placing heavier explosives underneath the road.

All explosives are remotely detonated via a small initiator stashed inside a steel case. This case is hidden on the Captain's tent for safekeeping.

"Where the hell is Fustaku? Rem did you told him to place the claymores along the hill?"

"I did Captain Del Pillar. I think he has already gone downhill to do that." Answered the soldier nicknamed Rem.

"Good. We'll hold the line until we are ordered to retreat."

"And if we weren't?" Asked the private once more.

"Then we die here." Casually answered the captain of the Company.

~o~

 **NAGASAKI NAVAL BASE**

 **Thirty minutes before departure**

Plans were made hastily as one could say. As every fleet mobilized to their respective areas of responsibility there are some shipgirls that remained in the naval base. There are six main battle fleets on standby, waiting for Admiral Goto's order to sortie and Kaga-san's briefing.

As soon as the time strikes 10:30 PM, Kaga-san emerged out of Admiral Goto's old office and walked towards us flagships that are waiting for her arrival.

"It seems that even the 5th CarDiv girls are also here, I did not expect that one." Kaga-san immediately said as her eyes landed on Zuikaku.

The two exchanged serious looks at one another. Kaga-san doesn't harbor anything against the 5th CarDiv girls, that I am for certain after being with her for a long time…even way before we were summoned as shipgirls.

"Cut the crap, Kaga-dork. What were the Admiral's plans?" Zuikaku asked as she crossed her arms in front of her breastplate.

"Hmm…well this is the gist of it. We will be escorting convoys carrying navy personnel as well as army personnel out of the naval base and into the Chougoko Region." Kaga-san spoke as she knelled to the floor.

I could see her white thighs and blue—no I need to be focused. Ogling Kaga-san will come later, for now I need to listen to the plan.

"I want the 5th CarDiv's fleet protecting the convoy while the rest of us will be forming a screen around the convoys. Recon planes and strike planes must be ready and immediately launched once an enemy fleet is spotted."

On the map are numbers and arrows trailing beside a chosen path towards the Chougoko Region. My fleet was assigned as recon fleet while fleets 11th and 12th are assigned as vanguard, while the 5th and 10th fleets are assigned as convoy escorts.

I can also see Kaga-san's fleet assigned on recon. It appears that both the 1st CarDiv carriers will be sortieing together one more time.

"Would you look at that? We'll be sortieing together again, Kaga-san." I said to her as I rested my hand on her shoulder.

"Yes, please take care of me." She replied with a smile.

I gave her a similar smile and said, "Likewise" to her.

"I believe that is all I need to tell right now. Whatever happens during this operation please do your best for this convoy escort operation lies the future of our homeland. If the abyssals break through our defenses and attack the convoy ships, sinking them in the process, we will lose supplies as well as skilled navy personnel. Furthermore if Akashi sinks with her Repair Formula that she made—"

As Kaga-san continued talking, Zuikaku who was crouched in front of her stood up, resting an arm on her side.

"Enough with the stakes are high vibe. Are we sortieing now or what? It's been so long since I've been sortied, I want some action now."

Kaga-san paused and looked at Zuikaku's expression. She then lowers her head and a similar expression on her face was revealed.

"Of course, we should sortie now however preparations must be made Zuikaku-san." Kaga-san replied.

She then stood up and rolled the map from the ground. She then inserted it inside her skirt pocket, before walking pass Zuikaku's shoulder.

"Just don't sink this time, brat." Kaga-san said as she slaps Zuikaku's back, pushing her forward.

"I will show you what I can do this time, bitch!" Zuikaku yelled with a fist.

Kaga-san only waved the back of her hand and continued walking towards her fleet of veteran shipgirls.

I too need to brief my shipgirls. After all, both of our fleets will be engaging the enemy first. It's been a while since I've been sortied back in 2048. I hope my skills haven't dulled one bit.

~o~

 **Admiral Goto's Office**

 **Twenty-six minutes before departure**

"Are you sure about this, Nagato?" Asked my commanding officer in front of me.

"Yes, I am sure. I will help the army personnel hold the line until the last convoy leaves port. I got your back, Admiral." I said to him with a determined and serious look.

Admiral Goto's presence became heavy. I knew what the problems are with my suggestion. In fact, if not because of these problems, I wouldn't have thought of this in the first place.

A shipgirl has a bad to abysmal accuracy when performing shore bombardment. That rule applies to battleships, cruisers, and destroyers. Carrier planes appear not to be affected by this but if the Carriers fire their secondary armaments to perform shore bombardment a similar effect could be observed.

Not only this made invading an island difficult, it also rules out us shipgirls as capable supporting players. A lot of shipgirls were particularly mad with this to the point that they were asking Akashi to do something about it. But as it turns out even Akashi too is also affected by this and she couldn't figure out why this is happening.

"I would make an exemption if you are escorted by at least a few cruisers and destroyers. But you alone, the first battleship to be summoned, defending the Naval Base against the abyssals…loosing you will affect many shipgirls." Admiral Goto added.

"Admiral, I am a battleship. When my rigging is deployed not even a 120mm APFSDH round could penetrate my armor. What can the abyssals do to a static gun emplacement that has armor beyond than of a reinforced concrete?" I said to him.

"You dying by the hands of a land based Abyssal Empress. I have received reports of a spotting. And it may be true that nothing can penetrate your armor but you said it yourself. You are a static gun emplacement. What can you do if that Abyssal Empress arrives? You can't run on ground while your riggings are deployed."

"I will do what must be done to insure that this fleet….this country survives another day against the abyssals. I am an embodiment of a war machine capable of plastering a large area and destroying ships from a distance. What am I if I am not deployed into the battlefield?" I asked him, giving him a glare.

Admiral Goto's presence suddenly changed. His eyes are more furious than normal. It was as if a dark aura was pushing me down to the floor.

"I will not allow you to do such suicidal acts. You are to sortie with the 1st fleet and protect the convoy until every last soldier has been transported to the Chougoko Region. This is a direct order from your commanding officer!" Admiral Goto yelled and stood up from behind his desk. My shadow casted over him but his presence has overshadowed mine.

But I will do what must be done to buy time for my fellow shipgirls. I have to buy time.

"As the Combined Fleet Flagship of both World Wars as well as now. I will disobey your direct order for the greater good of this naval base and its personnel. I will now take my leave, Arimato." I said to him leaving a note on his table.

I turned counterclockwise and headed towards the exit. As I pressed my hand on the handle, I held my breath and turn my attention towards the Admiral once more.

"I know what the man at the high castle will do to me if I manage to survive. I fully know the consequences for disobeying a direct order from my parent." I said to him.

"If so, then why are you pushing to do this?" Admiral Goto asked.

"Well the answer is simple really" I said to him after letting out a sigh, "I am the Combined Fleet Flagship after all."

"That does not justify your actions for throwing yourself into that defensive line." I heard him whisper underneath his breath.

I then walked towards the door and open it. Slowly I closed the door and heard the Admiral's scream of anger. It was a quick curse and was followed with a peaceful silence.

Lowering my head, I stared at the wooden floor. I gave thought to the actions that I've done today. I question myself if I really have to push myself to do this. Whenever that question pops out my memories from the previous life resurfaces. Remembering it gave me the reason once more to keep pushing myself.

"You still haven't gave up on that thought?"

Leaning against the wall was a heavy cruiser that had a furious look on her face. She had a peculiar colored hair and wearing a shorted style navy serufuku. She had her arms crossed when she asked me that question. I could only sigh at her as I walked towards her.

"I've made up my mind, Sakawa. You will not stop me." I said to her.

"For heaven's sake, Nagato! Why are you so obsessed on this? If the two of them were here, if Prinz and Saratoga were here I am sure both of them will stop you on your tracks!"

I stopped halfway before turning around and answered, "Well they aren't here….it's just you and me."

"You egoistic fool!" Sakawa yelled.

She then rushed towards me and threw a hook on my left cheek. I was pushed a bit to the side following the momentum of her punch. However it was not strong enough to put me down.

"Go to your fleet and sortie. This is a direct order as the Combined Fleet Flagship." I said to her.

"Says the one who singlehandedly disobeyed Admiral Goto's direct order! You have the guts to order me around." Sakawa yelled once more, this time she shoved me aside and walked pass me.

"Go ahead and die to your demise you egoistic fool! I won't care if you even survive or not!"

I fell silent as I watched her back disappearing from my eyes. I clenched my teeth and lowered my gaze, tears were coming out of eyes and I tried to hold myself together.

"If that's what my dearest friend says then I won't have any second thoughts on the battlefield….."

I…I just want to do my part in this life…..I just want to do something with this second life that was given to me. I just…..want them to at least understand…..

Prinz…..

Saratoga…..

Where are the two of you when I needed you the most….?

~o~

 **Ten minutes before departure**

When I and my fleet mates arrived at the docking area, I saw Admiral Goto talking to Kaga-san once more. Admiral Goto's eyes and mine met, instantaneously I averted his attention and just walked pass them.

"Akagi-san. A moment please"

His deep voice entered my ears like a strummed bass, stopping me immediately as he called my name. Slowly I turned around, trying my best to avert his brown eyes.

Walking beside him was Kaga-san, her hands were kept behind her back as she followed Admiral Goto's side. When the two of them arrived in front of me, I just gave them a salute and faced my attention towards Kaga-san.

"No need to be that formal." Admiral Goto paused before facing Kaga-san beside him, "Kaga….if you mind." Admiral Goto spoke with a soft tone.

"Well of course." Kaga-san answered.

With her presence gone, it was only me and the admiral left. I was still looking at the ground, very intent on not matching eye contact with the admiral.

"Do you still not want to look at me in the eyes?" The admiral asked to me with a serious tone.

"Well it can't be help. I don't want to harbor _illicit_ ideas when speaking towards you Admiral." I answered to him.

I could see the admiral's position shifting to the side. He had his right arm resting on his right hip with his admiral's cap resting on his left side.

"Come on now. No need to be formal to your husband." He said to me.

 _Husband_ ….it's been a while since that word has been spoken to me. How long was it? Two years? Yes, I believe it's been two years since that word was spoken in front of me.

"I can't do that…admiral. Addressing you in such close manner will make problems. I don't want Kaga-san, Yura-san, Fuso-san, and Ooyodo-san to be disturbed by such intimacy."

Admiral Goto fell silent as I gave him my statement. As the atmosphere became stagnant I turned my back towards him and said, "Well then admiral, if you have nothing more to say to me. I will be taking my leave."

Hastily I approached Kaga-san who was waiting ahead of me. With her cold looking face I got this feeling of not wanting to talk to her. I didn't even gave attention to her as I walked pass her.

"Akagi…"

"Not now, Kaga-san." I instantly spoke, "We will be sortieing in a couple of minutes. I don't want something this trivial to affect my performance in battle. If you want to confront me with this then approach me once this operation is over."

Leaving her with remark I approached my fleet mates who were already on the water. They stared at me with curious looks, as I jumped into the water and materialized my rigging as small destroyer came to me.

"What was that about? Did you and Kaga-san had a fight again?"

I shook my head as I slowly moved towards the front of the group with a serious look.

"Alright. Lollygagging stops here." I announced that was then followed by multiple cheers

~o~

 **A few hours later**

 **Rendezvous** **Point**

A grand total of 28 sorties were made just to get the soldiers and supplies from the besieged naval base to the port of Chouguko.

The perimeter defense around Fukuoka immediately collapsed before we knew it, and surviving soldiers rushed towards the Kanmonkyo Bridge just to get away from the abyssals.

All of the shipgirls that was assigned on the escort operation are now currently resting on Chouguko Port. There's a few of us here though since some of the six main battle fleets that was assigned for this operation have been sortied to do special missions.

The crane sisters were sent to provide air cover for the soldiers defending the bridge. With them out on escort duty my fleet of ten shipgirls were assigned as the new screen fleet. Kuma's 12th fleet was also sent on a mission but this one involved chasing after a specialized fleet of _abyssals_ and not a single word has came out on their situation as of now.

"Akagi, this would be our last sortie in this operation." Kaga-san approached me while I was drinking a beverage down my throat.

With a loud "bah!" I turn my head to the side and let out a surprised look.

"Have we successfully transported all personnel here? And why last? I believe there are still equipment left on the naval base!"

Kaga-san sat beside me, opening her own beverage and took a sip of it.

"We are now low on ammunition and other necessities. Priority has been placed on retrieving the soldiers rather than the supplies left back on the Naval Base. With that said, Admiral Goto has decided to sortie three Main battle fleets only in this last sortie." Kaga-san elaborated, her expression filled with exhaustion.

I nodded as I placed my emptied can on my side.

"So….what do have in mind?" I asked while staring at Kaga-san's distant expression.

Kaga-san turned her attention towards me and gave me a warm smile. It was something that gave me an ache to my chest. It was burning me from the inside not by affection but by guilt.

Guilt for falling in love with the man she loved the most. Whenever I look at her eyes this guilt inside me would just run rampant. I know these feelings…these pains are just imaginary but they felt so real.

"Akagi-senpai" She called me.

She averted my eyes and stared at the distant horizon once more. She stared at the shipgirls talking a few meters ahead of us. They were laughing, cheering, and pointing fingers at one another. They were so laid back, so…..

"Lively aren't they?" I said.

She gave me a nod as I watched my fingers fumble at one another.

Kaga-san then fell silent once more before taking a deep sigh and saying, "So I was thinking of placing your fleet on escort duty while my fleet and Hosho-san's fleet placed on vanguard." Kaga-san added.

"Hosho-sama's fleet?! Are you mad? Her fleet of six shipgirls is not enough to be placed in vanguard. At first I accepted the role as escort duty since I initially thought that a larger fleet will be assigned as vanguard but for Hosho-sama to be placed on vanguard, I will never allow it!" I yelled my concerns.

Don't misunderstand. Hosho-sama is a strong shipgirl, even stronger than the late armored carrier, Taiho.

After all, Hosho-sama is the first carrier to be ever born in the past. She was the pioneer of naval aviation. It was because of her that I today was able to operate my planes in the first place.

She is…out of respect our mother. The mother of all carrier type shipgirls.

If she is to put at the front line….I just can't bare the thought if her being wounded.

"Whose idea was this? I swear if this came from him I will give him a-"

"This is Hosho-sama's idea."

I was at a loss of words. No wonder Kaga-san had this distant expression.

"We have to stop her." I said to her, standing up immediately.

With a strong grip she held my hand preventing me from moving even further.

"Why are you stopping me, Kaga-san?" I asked her in disbelief.

Shaking her head, Kaga-san then slowly stood up and said, "Respect the decision of your mother."

"Like hell I would!" I shouted shoving her grip off me.

For her to be telling me that. There must be something at play here! But first I need to find mother and stop her from sortieing.

And just like that, I felt something landing on my right cheek. It burned and sting like hell. It felt like a baseball bat was swung right on my cheek.

Obviously, I fell into the ground. I could see my vision fading and blood dripping on the ground.

"Why must you…" I managed to spoke out

"I will not allow you to stop mother from sortieing after she pleaded the admiral to sortie with her daughters. In what respect do you have for you to prevent her from achieving that?" Kaga-san said to me with her cold and distasteful voice.

I felt myself burying to the ground as I process the words she said to me.

"Why won't you understand…." I softly said grabbing a small chunk of the ground and threw it on Kaga's face, "I will not let her sortie. I would rather sink in the depths of Midway once more rather than see her get wounded!"

Kaga groaned heavily as she tired rubbing the dirt off her eyes. Grabbing the bat from her hand I then batted her head like a ball.

It gave a very wet sound. Like a watermelon popping.

Kaga-san instantly fell to the ground like a wet fabric. The ground shook a bit and blood slowly pouring out of her head.

It was at that point that I realized what I have done.

Kneeling to the ground, I pressed my two fingers on Kaga's throat, feeling a slow and fading pulse.

"No no no…"

Using both of my hand I grabbed her by the shoulder and side, basically carried her. True she was heavy but not heavy enough for this former battlecruiser.

"I need to find Akashi…."

~o~

 **A few moments later**

"You insolent fool!"

As expected, mother was beyond furious.

While kneeling in the ground, Kaga-san who had a bandage wrapped around her head tried calming down our mother but to no avail.

"What do you think would've happen if the two of you were to be out of action, huh?! Both of you could've risked this operation into a total failure!"

"Mother please calm down…"

"Shut up you cold heated-sauna-bodied-lump of flesh! You are also at fault! Why did you hit Akagi with a baseball bat!? Sit beside her, kneel, and repent for you sins!" Mother was even furious at Kaga.

Hastily Kaga sat beside me and lowered her head. With our Mother was fuming in front of us, I just couldn't hide a faint chuckle.

"Just like when we were young…" I whispered to her.

"Shut it, Akagi.." Kaga whispered back.

With a folding paper fan, Mother gave us both a gentle smile.

"Now for your punishment." She said.

""Fuck.."" We said simultaneously under our breath.

"No swearing!" She yelled, that was followed by a strong slap of the paper fan on our head.

~o~

Sitting idly on the opposite side of the room are two newly summoned battlecruisers; Akagi and Amagi of the Amagi class battlecruisers.

Akagi, who was sitting on a cross legged position, have a long brown hair that was tied into a ponytail using a crimson ribbon. She was wearing a chocolate cosmos colored top and a dark brown skirt. While the other shipgirl, Amagi, was wearing a dark blue top and a white skirt. She also sported a white hair that was cut short around her shoulders with her bangs covering her eyebrows.

Both of them were sipping tea using a black mug that were given to them by their Admiral. Since they had nothing particular to do today, they decided to rest inside Hosho's assigned building because Hosho was nice to them.

It was not before long that they discovered that Hosho is a very dangerous shipgirl if her patience is challenged. Since the two of them do not want to be included in Hosho's angry outburst they decided to shut up and heed no attention.

"Sister, did we really have visited her in the first place?" Asked the white haired Amagi.

"Truth be told. I really do regret coming here. I didn't know Hosho had children." Akagi said.

Amagi shook her head knowing that her little sister was wrong. Amagi being a kind older sister explained it to her slow learning little sister, Akagi.

"No little sister. The aircraft carriers-consider Hosho-san as their mother since she _is_ technically the first aircraft carrier commissioned in the Imperial Japanese Navy. It was from her that using Bows and Arrows, Summoning Scrolls, and other kinds of summoning techniques were learned to control fairy aircraft. If it wasn't for her these aircraft carrier shipgirls would've just be a waste of space in the Naval Base. If they don't know how to operate their planes that is." Amagi explained not knowing that the explanation became long and that her little sister was no longer listening anymore.

With a hand underneath her chin, Akagi examined the aircraft carrier adjacent to her. She heard it clearly. That shipgirl's name was also Akagi. It intrigued her, after all Admiral Goto didn't say anything about shipgirls having the same name in the Combined Fleet.

Akagi stared intensely on the other Akagi who had her forehead already pressed against the floor, begging forgiveness to Hosho. Battlecruiser Akagi felt something inside her burn a little, for her it was as if she was looking at a different Akagi born from a different timeline.

"You two! Why are the both of you still in this room?! Don't you have any training exercises to do?!" Hosho turns around and said those words at the two idling battlecruisers.

Immediately they scrambled towards the exit, yelling "Thanks for the time Hosho-san!" before gently closing the door behind them.

Akagi and Amagi cheekily smiled at one another, the two of them almost got scolded by the short Hosho-san after all.

~o~

 **Fifty kilometers away from Naval Base Hiroshima**

A blinding beam of light could be seen pass a cumulonimbus on the dark night sky above. It just recently stopped raining but the wind was still cold and the waters were ravaging due to the strong winds and the shells raining on the water as an abyssal tried its best on dodging them.

Sailing on her right was a small destroyer type shipgirl that had multiple penetration wounds on her rigging. Her clothes were razed and a part of her head was burnt from a recent fire. Her expression was cold and her gaze was sharp as a dagger as she sailed in parallel to the abyssal that was tugging a black capsule.

The abyssal turned its attention towards the shipgirl and fired a single salvo. The shipgirl narrowly dodging the shell then fired her own salvo before releasing her fishes on the water, giving it a bit of a lead in front of the abyssal.

Nine torpedoes were cruising on the water at 60 knots. White water bubbles were formed at the rear of the torpedoes' propeller.

The abyssal dodged the shipgirl's salvo but was hit twice with the torpedoes. The abyssal staggered to the right as it tried protecting the black capsule from being struck by the torpedoes. The abyssal screamed in pain as her right arm fell into the water and her white top had a large blood stain on it.

She glared at the shipgirl who was now approaching her. With her left hand she raised it towards the shipgirl and materialized a saber. When she clenched her hand the saber flew in subsonic speed and landed on the shipgirl's leg making her lose her balance, flipping upside-down into the water.

A smile emerged on the abyssal's expression when she saw that but it was short lived because another torpedo struck her by the left leg, disintegrating it into a million pieces and rendering her unable to maneuver properly.

"She incapacitated! Storm in for the kill!" Yelled a battleship type shipgirl that was just a few meters from the abyssal.

The abyssal gritted her teeth as she pulled the black capsule near her and slammed her left fist on the surface of the capsule. A hole was made on the capsule revealing a man with black hair. He was knocked unconscious a few hours ago when a shell struck the capsule's protective shield.

"I'm sorry but it will only last for a second." Said the white haired abyssal.

The abyssal then grabbed a cord connected to her spine and aligned the tip of this jet black cord into the belly button of the man. Slowly she injected it into the man. The man grunted in pain, before his skin started to turn transparent. White particles slowly rise into the atmosphere and before long his body was no longer inside the capsule, it was as if his body turned into nothingness.

Then the unexplained hunger that she felt a few moments ago somewhat disappeared. Her lost limbs slowly regenerated as she closed her eyes and moaned at the satisfactory feeling that she was experiencing.

"Oh no, you don't!" Yelled a battleship type shipgirl named Ise.

She swung her katana diagonally, aimed at the neck of the abyssal that was kneeling on the water. Ise's smile vaporized when she saw that her katana hit the abyssal's neck as if she was hitting a brick.

Ise found herself in close proximity of a land based Abyssal Empress whose specialty is close quarters combat.

The abyssal opened her eyes and turned her attention at the battleship that struck her neck. Her gold eyes brighten in vigor and a smile slowly formed on her face.

"You brought a dull blade into a fight?" The abyssal asked.

Ise didn't saw it coming. A right hook landed on her gut throwing her almost a kilometer away from the abyssal that struck her. Her sister, Hyuuga was flabbergast when she saw her sister flew pass her.

Clouded in urgency, Hyuuga sailed towards her sister and narrowly saved her from sinking. She saw the lights of her sister's eyes passed. Her heart sank in despair knowing her sister was now dead on her hands.

The warm body of her sister was replaced with ice, her smile covered flat and her brown vigilant eyes blankly staring at the dark sky.

"Pull back…" Hyuuga softly said into the radio.

A few moments later multiple shipgirls sailed pass her. Each one of them could be seen having severe wounds and damaged rigging. Hyuuga turned her attention back at the abyssal once more and saw a flash from the horizon, a few moments later an armor piercing shell almost struck her by the head.

Hyuuga glared as she slowly carried the corpse of her sister and sailed back into the darkness of the night. Her spotlight that was pointed towards the abyssal turned off.

In a sigh of relief the abyssal removed the cord that was connected to the capsule and her spine. Red blood could be seen pouring out of the tubes as she dropped it into the water. Abyssal Empress Marianna then sailed into the island that was now vividly visible on the horizon.

"Look Gintoki. We are finally home." She said softly as she pressed her hand on her chest.

 **Chapter End**

* * *

A long chapter will be coming up in a couple of days sorry for the slow updates~

 **UPDATE 1-05-19 : Fixed Errors**


	9. Pale

A blue hued one and a **pale** looking moon.

* * *

 **April 7, 2049**

 **1:30 A.M**

Gintoki woke up inside a room that was filled with blood. The walls, the ceiling, the floor….everywhere, he could see blood stains.

He had his clothes partially ransacked, his skin almost as pale as the abyssal that he knew….and at that moment a memory struck him at the back of his head.

He remembered the orange colored eyes, the white hair and the black funeral clothes. She was very hostile and by the memories that he had at that time, he for certain, died on that balcony. But that was not the case, he almost remembered being awaken inside a lightly lit room. He remembered eating a human arm. He remembered it clearly like it was just recently.

Yes, today, as of now, he is no longer a human being.

True he was able to recover some parts of his memories but the memories he had during childhood have vanished. Although he could still vividly remember the face of his mother, his father, and older sister though had their faces blurred.

Gintoki pressed his dominant hand on his forehead and sulked on that realization. He then pressed his hand on his stomach as he felt it rumble. He was hungry…

Biting the lower part of his lip, he stood up from the floor and headed towards the destroyed fridge. The door was dented indicating that it was punched by something.

Gintoki pulled the dented door and it immediately collapsed towards him. The hinges of the door were broken beyond repair. He let out a sigh of relief knowing that the door was light enough to be placed to the side.

The cold goods inside the fridge were already soiled. Even the ice cream and yogurt that he had bought for Marianna were affected. Although he did saw a half opened yogurt with its contents missing.

"She must've opened this one." Gintoki softly said.

He then took a pack of meat that was now de-frozened. He then walked towards the stove and checked whether the gas tank was not damaged or anything. It would be very unfortunate if he was to die because of a broken gas tank while thinking of cooking a light meal.

Using a frying pan that he took from the top cabinet, he then poured olive oil on the pan before turning the stove's burner on. While the oil was heating up, he unpacked the meat from its plastic container and placed it on a plate. He put salt and pepper on the meat, before giving it a soft massage. After that he hovered his hand above the frying pan but not close enough to burn his hand.

"The oil's hot." He declared before putting the seasoned meat into the pan.

The pork gave a sizzling sound as the oil made contact to the surface of the meat. Gintoki then waited for about five minutes before flipping the meat to the other side. The cooked side gave a very oily, brown look that gave him a savory feeling just by looking at it.

When the meat was fully cooked he placed it back into the plate that he used to season the meat. He then walked towards the utensils cabinet and took a fork. Since the rice cooker was missing, probably stolen, he had no choice but to eat the meat American style.

Gintoki stabbed the three pointers of his fork into the meat. He could see the oil that was absorbed by the meat coming out of the three holes. He could feel his mouth salivating, and slowly he raised it towards his mouth. He let out a wide chump at the meat, savoring the taste of the meat in his mouth.

Gintoki let out as sigh as he placed the fork on the plate. He stared at the remaining meat on his plate. He closed his eyes and swallowed the meat that was chewed in his mouth.

With a deep tone he said, "I just ate an eraser."

~o~

 **A few kilometers from Gintoki's apartment**

 **2:10 A.M**

A white haired woman that was around six feet tall overlooked the city that was burning to the ground. She could see large smoke clouds floating to the sky and the horizon painted with crimson. She could smell the burning corpses in her current position; she could faintly hear the screams of the artillery pieces that were fired upon the abyssals that stormed the city. And most importantly, she could see the shipgirls patrolling the surrounding waters of that city, protecting it from amphibious attacks.

While all of that are ongoing the woman that had a white platinum hair just stood there with a stoic look on her face. She tightly gripped her hand as she watches the scene where a shipgirl grabbed a humanoid seaborne abyssal from the neck, and dismembered the body from its head.

She gritted her teeth as she glared at the brown haired shipgirl that had a katana on her hand, and a 100mm autocannon attached on her rigging.

This shipgirl then fired her torpedoes into the water, managing to hit at least four destroyer type abyssals and crippled a cruiser type.

The woman couldn't stand it any longer. Her right hand trembled in fury as she watched that fleet of shipgirls casually mowed down her own minions.

But instead of joining in the fray, she chose to turn around and slammed her feet into the ground creating a strong shock wave. A crater was formed underneath her and the surrounding areas almost elevated a bit to the air.

To cure her anger, Abyssal Empress Marianna turned her attention into the dark alleyways of Hiroshima.

Despite the close proximity of the city to the frontline the civilians were not evacuated north. Instead, they were advised on helping the soldiers garrisoned in the city to erect machine gun positions and barricades around the city's suburbs.

Marianna had her own favorite hunting ground that was five kilometers away from Gintoki's apartment. Casually, she moved pass multiple checkpoints and military personnel while on route to her favorite hunting ground.

While in route, Marianna walked pass a store with multiple LCD televisions showing the latest news of today.

A huge crowd of civilians could be seen forming in front of the store, intensely watching the news unfold.

Displayed on one of the TV's is a reporter wearing a body armor and a ceramic helmet. She was holding a microphone on her right hand and a notepad on the other. She ducked behind a large debris, originally part of the bridge that connected the Kyushu Peninsula to Mainland Japan. Soldiers could be seen scrambling towards the bridge, preventing the abyssals from crossing, taking cover behind hastily built foxes and trenches.

Tanks could be seen parked on an elevated position, it's machine guns were firing continuously that their barrels were glowing red due to overheating. Tracers could be seen flying overhead, towards the bridge.

"Oh my god...What is that?" The female reporter gasped in awe at the monster that was crossing the bridge.

The tanks then fired their main cannons towards a tripod land based abyssal that was almost three stores high.

The reporter then shrieked when the tripod fired its main armaments and decimated the elevated tanks that were a few hundred meters from the female reporter. One of the turrets of the said tanks landed near the debris that the reporter was taking cover.

She could see the arms of the soldier that manned the main gun still holding the levers.

Attack helicopters from above pummeled the tripod with their missiles to no effect.

A soldier then pointed his finger at the sky. The cameraman then followed the direction where the soldier was pointing.

A formation of ten Aichi Dive bombers could be seen closing in to the tripod. In its defense the tripod fired its close range machine guns at the diver bombers, managing to shot down four.

Then miniature planes from the Second World War flew overhead and dropped their payloads on the tripod, making it stagger to the left. A loud cheer could be heard behind the camera that was filming the tripod.

"For the Emperor!" The soldiers yelled in unison.

"Banzai!" The civilians that was watching the live feed cheered as they saw the tripod crashed into the water, engulfed in flames.

Abyssal Empress Marianna had her face covered by the hood of Gintoki's winter jacket. She listened to the humans around her, cheering in joy as they saw the tripod fell into the waters. They cheered ever so loudly to the point that Marianna almost materialized her saber and cut down a male human in front of her. She chose not to—she wouldn't want to attract attention towards her. She wouldn't want the Imperial Guards and the JSDF to chase after her, not in her weakened state.

As she walked pass the male human that was near her, she gave the human a strong hook in the stomach. The human immediately collapsed to the ground after that. His eyes turned upside down and the white of his eyes revealed.

Marianna ran towards the nearest alley and pressed her forehead into the wall. She cursed at herself for being weak; she cursed and cursed until she slammed her head into the concrete wall. The brunt of the force almost cracked the wall itself. Her forehead had a small bruise that was very noticeable due to her pale looking skin.

"Curse you….wreaked creatures…..Curse you….Curse you…." Marianna softly muttered underneath her breath.

Something inside her boiled, something that she hasn't felt before. It was just like that time when she saw Gintoki talking to another woman. She felt something that wasn't taught to her, something the Queen haven't taught her.

"Goddammit!" She yelled while pressing her back against the wall.

Marianna slid her back until she was sitting on the ground, she then raised her head into the sky. The moon was right above her—she looked at it and admired its beauty. The moon, it was a thing that was called a heavenly body that revolved around the planet. She learned that via Gintoki's television not too long ago, that was before Gintoki was attacked by her sister, Pacific.

"Gintoki just died" Marianna said to herself, "He can't remember me and he can't remember his past….." Marianna said towards the moon.

Tears slowly poured out from her tear ducts. "There it is again" Marianna lowered her head and said those words as she wiped away the tears with her naked hands.

Marianna felt something in her chest piercing her from inside. She couldn't control herself anymore as she wept on that dark alleyway. She held her hands against her eyes, covering them so that the tears would stop but it wouldn't.

The tears keep coming out like the rain of a stormy day or the strong waves during a windy season.

Her hands trembled as she remembered Gintoki's words when he woke up just a few hours ago. She remembered how he violated him—she remembered how she turned him into something that Gintoki himself wouldn't want to become.

A symbiote—

Marianna gripped her hand and pressed her forehead into the ground of that dirty alleyway. The tears have slowly subsided, and her chest faintly throbbing in pain. Yes, she remembered... she saved Gintoki. She saved him from death but to a great cost.

To save him was to change him from human into something that's inhuman. A creature that cannot be perceived by human eyes, yes, she saved Gintoki by turning him into a symbiote—a creature that only lives in an abyssal's personal reality.

A creature that's manifested inside an abyssal's psyche. A creature that manifested an abyssal's combat prowess. A creature that can only be seen once the host manifested the creature into reality—

"I shouldn't have done it." Marianna says softly to her hands.

For a creature to turn into a symbiote—the creature must be injected with the Queen's DNA via the injection cord that was attached onto an abyssal's spinal cord. The cord that was covered in carbon fiber like material is very resilient in almost all environmental hazards. However, it can be severed easily by a basic nanomaterial blade that has just been recently armed into the shipgirls.

The injection cord is basically a straight forward remedy for killing an abyssal instantly. After all the cord itself is connected to the abyssal's nervous system ergo the abyssal's brain. Not only the abyssal taken out of action the symbiote itself will be destroyed if the injection cord is severed.

Due to its importance humanoid abyssals almost never reveal their injection cords during battle. Some house them inside a thick cylindrical armor; some would even wrap their cords around their waist acting like a belt. A lot of ways have been made to make sure that the cord must be protected or hidden at all cost. Marianna herself used her injection cord as a belt, shrouded by a thick tube.

As Marianna touched the injection cord on her waist, she suddenly remembered the feeling that she felt after she injected the Queen's DNA into Gintoki's corpse. She felt warm, very warm. It was as if she was embraced by something...

And just like that Marianna felt her face getting warm for a second. She shook her head trying to forget that memory but it was already sketched perfectly in her head.

She then felt guilty again. She knew that if Gintoki was to become a symbiote, no one, and she really meant no one will ever perceive him other than her or another abyssal just like Marianna.

Gintoki has just become something that'll be very reliant on his host till the host dies in battle or takes her own life. That's what Marianna thought in regards to Gintoki's situation.

Marianna had no authority for destroying Gintoki's future as a human; he doesn't belong to her after all. Gintoki owns himself— no one owns him, and that applies to everything. But to save him from permanent death she had no choice but to take that future from him, a future where he could retain his status as a human.

With those thoughts, Marianna fell silent and wonders what to do next. Now that Gintoki's no longer human she will have to force him to eat human flesh, the same flesh that made him human before he turned into a symbiote.

"That'll be hard for him." Marianna muttered as she stared into the elegant moon.

She closed her eyes and let her mind come at ease. There is a major threat looming over her and Gintoki…that she knew pretty well.

Pacific is still out there somewhere, she already has her minions garrisoned the southern part of this continent.

"Once word comes out, a wild hunt will be given by the queen. A wild hunt that will gather all the Abyssal Empress' all over the world….I wonder how long will I last by then?" Marianna muttered as she opened her eyes and saw the moon blocked by a face of an old looking male human.

"Hey're missy. What are you doin' in this dark alley? Are you not joining the party on the streets? The army just defeated the abyssal at Kanmonkyo Bridge after all!" The man says with an eerie smile on his face.

Despite wanting to be alone the world just finds a way to keep her company. Marianna softly smiled at the group of humans that was surrounding her. Closely, the abyssal empress examined the humans that surrounded her. Two men were armed with butterfly knives, their bodies bulky and stern. The other four were petite, almost malnourished.

"Thank you for keeping me company you lot. I was just starting to get hungry." She says as her eyes glowed brightly, and droll coming out at the curves of her lips.

"This girl is indeed crazy...How about we teach you something about manners missy." The old man says, seconds before he lost his limbs and his neck dismembered by Marianna's canine teeth.

On that early morning alone, Marianna devoured 56 humans in a span of four hours.

~o~

Gintoki pressed the power button on the remote only to discover that the TV was broken too. This one hit home for him, after all this flat screen TV originally belonged to his late grandfather who has now passed away.

"You've been with me after all these years. You may now rest in peace." He softly chant.

When he opened his eyes once more he let out a tired sigh. With the TV gone, almost all except for the AC unit and the satellite phone, are out of commission.

"I wonder what would mother say once she comes home..." Gintoki wondered as he stared at the blood stains, burnt furniture, and the large slit on the wall that he couldn't explain how it got there.

He then groaned and dropped on the cold floor. Despite the cold windy air of the night, he somehow felt at ease.

With nothing else to do and his apartment basically ransacked Gintoki could only sulk at the living room, feeling the cold sea breeze alone in his apartment. Not to mention that he has to pay at least 50,000 yen for the rent by next month...and the funds to buy new furniture and fixing the damages...

Gintoki felt his head throbbing in pain with the thought of his mother using all the money in her bank account.

"Should I just pack my things and leave? I mean, I don't have the funds to fix any of these nor replace the destroyed appliances at the moment..."

As Gintoki sulked inside his apartment room a knock came from the hallway of his apartment. Gintoki immediately stood up from the floor and approached the living room.

"Old man?" Gintoki says as he opened the door.

"My heavens! What the fuck did you do to this lot?!"

Wearing a sleeping gown underneath a thick coat is the super of Gintoki's apartment. The man's name is Giyo Matsuhara, a sixty year old retired navy pilot who hoarded his pension to buy the whole apartment building for himself.

"Gintoki you fool! I was only gone for two months and now this is what I come home with?! No wonder your neighbors here were very rowdy on the phone about your apartment room being bombed or something." Old man Matsuhara angrily yelled in dissatisfaction.

Gintoki could only scratch the back of his head as he stood statically.

"Not only were we invaded just recently, I can't believe they dropped bombs in my apartment building. Even the nearby rooms were also damaged." Old man Matsuhara sighed, "Anyway's pack up and transfer to the empty room on the fifth floor. You poor bastard..." Old man Matsuhara says as he waved his hand and exited the apartment room with a notepad on his right hand.

Gintoki doubted what he just heard. No he must've heard it wrong, and to make sure he was wrong Gintoki ran out of his apartment and chased after the super that just recently visited him.

"Old man Matsuhara! Did you just say transfer to the vacant room on the fifth floor?!" Gintoki yelled in bafflement.

Matsuhara turns around and yelled, "Which one of us is old now?!"

A smile emerged out of Matsuhara's face as he turns around and entered the elevator. When the doors closed Gintoki could only shake his head in amazement.

"I should give mother a call..." Gintoki declared as he walked back into his apartment and rushed towards the satellite telephone.

With a hum, Gintoki pressed the buttons on the telephone that belonged to his mother's satellite phone. After that he gently placed the cordless telephone on his ear and waited for the call to come through.

 _I'm sorry the number you dialed is currently busy at the moment. Please try your call later._

Gintoki blinked his eyes twice, he knew personally that his mother wouldn't turn down a call from her very own son. After all she purposely bought a pair of satellite phones so that the two of them could communicate.

"That's odd..." Gintoki muttered as he stared at the number that was displayed on the screen of his satellite phone, "Did I typed the correct number? No, she must be busy...Guess I'll have to pack the things that could still be used..." Gintoki added as he placed the satellite phone in his pocket.

As he entered the living room, he felt something...someone calling him. He immediately turned towards the ocean that was clearly visible from his balcony. It was a cold voice, a very cold voice. A cold woman's voice. She was speaking, a language that Gintoki haven't heard before. The words were jumbled and it sounded like the words were uttered by a person that was eating whilst speaking.

"What in a world..." Gintoki wondered as he continued listening.

Slowly, he finally understood what it was.

Rather than speaking it was something entirely different. It was like a lullaby, a fleeting lullaby. A lullaby that made Gintoki feel at ease for some reason. It was as if the lullaby was telling him to stay calm and fight on. It was as if, it was telling him to continue onward.

And slowly...as Gintoki continued listening he finally heard the lullaby clearly...

Gintoki didn't care who the voice belonged to—he didn't care at all. But one thing's for sure, he can hear it, and he can hear it coming from the vast empty ocean that he was facing.

The deep blue color of the ocean—

~o~

 **Okinawa**

 **Beach Orange**

 **Two hours after the Abyssal Amphibious Assault**

After a brutal eight hour fight against the attacking abyssals the soldiers from Hoshi Company of the 11th Infantry Regiment finally received the news of victory. The remaining soldiers that remained on the beach roared in victory after surviving that brutal battle.

One after another soldiers that were taking positions along the beach came out of their foxholes and pillboxes to gather together with the remaining soldiers of H-Company. To their surprise they only lost twelve soldiers out of the 120 soldiers that was defending the beach.

"Thank the emperor for giving us the strength to hold on to that beach!" The first sergeant yelled.

Many agreed on his statement. If it weren't for the emperor's shipgirls none of them would've been standing by now. One after another the soldiers faced the ocean where the fighting between the shipgirls and the abyssals are still ongoing.

Using their optics they viewed the battle from a far. They could see battle raging on despite the heavy wounds the shipgirls received. They could see some shipgirls bleeding like a bucket with holes all over, they could see some shipgirls even missing a limb or two but still they fought on.

The soldiers knew that none of them had the willpower like those shipgirls who kept fighting despite the wounds they received. The soldiers could only observe, after all they are worth nothing against those abyssals who were fighting against the shipgirls on equal terms.

An explosion then erupted. The soldiers cursed as they waited for the smoke to clear and when it did cleared they felt their hearts sank. A shipgirl that had a brown hair was floating on the water. Her head was gone and her clothes were burnt to nothing. Her rigging was in no shape as well, multiple holes could be seen on her rigging and by the looks of it her left torpedo launcher was hit, detonating it.

Another shipgirl then came to their view. This time this shipgirl had a short black hair and red eyes. She was yelling at towards someone as she yanked the body of the floating shipgirl from the water.

"What the hell is she doing...?!" The first sergeant cursed on what he was seeing.

"Can't she see that the girl is already dead? She does not have a head dammit!" Another soldier yelled.

Hastily the mature looking shipgirl then grabbed the deceased shipgirl's arm and carried her towards the island, specifically towards the men that are watching from afar.

"She coming over..." The first sergeant muttered as he lowered his binoculars and grabbed a soldier at the collar, "Go to the medical tent and call someone to tend that shipgirl now!" He ordered.

The soldier hastily ran towards the medical tent that was erected behind the defenses on the beach. Slowly the shipgirl came to the beach, when she entered shallow waters she unsummoned her rigging and ran towards the beach barefooted. The soldiers ran towards the shipgirl in haste, they dropped their rifles and stopped right in front of the shipgirl.

"Put her somewhere that's far from the water and make sure that none of those abyssals come close to her you hear!?" The tall shipgirl yelled as she placed the body of the deceased shipgirl on the dark stained sand.

None of them dared speaking at the shipgirl in front of them. As the shipgirl ran back into the ocean she then summoned her rigging and rushed back into the battle. Leaving behind the soldiers surrounding the deceased shipgirl.

The soldiers have seen worst things happen to their fellow soldiers before. All of them have experienced on hand how brutal the war is, however seeing a young looking shipgirl this heavily mutilated in front of them, some had to rush away from the crowd and let out their displeasure into the dark sand.

"What should we do with the body?" A soldier asked.

Everyone fell silent as they stared at the first sergeant that was with them. The old looking first sergeant only let out a displeased sigh as he crouched down and removed his coat before covering the body of the deceased shipgirl.

"I'll carry her to the medical tent. You boys stay here and keep watch. We don't know what will happen next after this." He declared before he took the shipgirl's body and carried her towards the medical tent.

Slowly the crowed dispersed into their original positions, some soldiers even sat on the dark beach and some examining the dead Hu-type abyssals that littered the beach that they were defending.

One particular solider on the other hand heard a chime. The soldier had both of his ears bleeding after a grenade exploded prematurely next to his position. At first he thought that he was just imagining it but then the chime grew louder and louder.

The soldier looked for the origin of the chime, it originated in the woods not too far from his position. He walked on the heavy vegetation, following the chime that he kept hearing. Then he saw an orange light that was camouflaged among the grass. The soldier crouched down and grabbed the object's antenna.

"The fuck!" He then immediately dropped it when he saw the hand that was still holding the satellite phone.

It was a slender hand and by the looks of the blood stain that had already turned brown. The person must've died for a while now. The satellite phone was still ringing, so the soldier removed the hand from it and checked the screen. It was an unknown number, it was unregistered. Hesitating to answer the call the soldier pressed the red button and ended the call. He couldn't stand the fact that maybe the one who was calling belonged to the deceased person's family.

Letting out a sigh the soldier inserted the satellite phone in his vest pocket and turned on his flashlight.

"The body must've been here somewhere..." The soldier softly muttered as he looked for the body around the vicinity.

Unfortunately for the soldier, he wasn't able to find the owner of the said satellite phone.

~o~

 **April 14, 2049**

 **Post Kyushu Invasion**

 **Hiroshima, Japan**

Toshiki Gin examined the corpse that was left on the ground surrounded by crimson blood. Its arms were bent in an awkward manner, the insides were exposed into the open, and the foul stench eradicated the fresh air.

The nineteen year old college dropout examined the corpse very intently, he moved his eyes vertically and horizontally before crouching in front of it and dismembering the broken arm to address his hunger.

Not too long ago, the college dropout had a normal life. A life where he could just walk around the streets of Hiroshima unshackeled by the thought that he will be hunted down by soldiers or during the time when he used to to eat normal food, and not pick up a random dead person on a dark alleyways of Hiroshima. However, those days are long gone and the life he is currently living is a living hell for him.

"That's good. Now try to remember to clean yourself once you've done eating."

Right now he no longer is human and to suffice his hunger he has to feed himself by eating human flesh. Gintoki went into a state of withdrawal after realizing his current state. He can't be seen by other people and he can't talk to them, they can't hear him. The only one who he can speak or lament with him is the abyssal that turned him into this thing that she calls a symbiote.

After cleaning his mouth with the sleeves of the corpse, Gintoki stood up and faced Abyssal Empress Marianna with his dark empty eyes. He stared at her, examining her hair, lips, skin color, and eyes. Particularly, he was drawn to the eyes of the abyssal. The gold hue of her eyes made him froze on his tracks, drop everything and just stare at it like a moth drawn by a lamp's light, and the only way he could get out of this frozen state is by Marianna slapping him on his cheeks.

"Snap out of it. Come, we have to go home." The abyssal empress says, holding Gintoki's hand and leading him along the dark alleyways.

The abyssal empress slowly walked along the shadows of the tall city apartments before immediately coming to a stop when she sensed something walking in parallel with them. She pulled Gintoki towards her and hugged him tightly like a mother protecting its child.

"Goddamn. I really thought I cornered her somehow..." An old looking man rotated his body clockwise trying to find the abyssal empress.

The old man cursed and kicked at the ground, infuriated when he realized that he has to find the abyssal empress again from scratch. With a hand behind his neck he then scratches it before turning around and walking along the dark alleyway.

Abyssal Empress Marianna poked her head out of the shadows and checked the perimeter. She can't pick up any hostile readings around her so she came out of the shadows with Gintoki held in between her arms.

"We shouldn't stay here for long. We have to return to the apartment." Marianna declared, staring at Gintoki's ruffled black hair.

But the guy didn't respond. With his face burrowed on Marianna's bosom the guy didn't answer. He just let his eyes burrowed into Marianna's pale skin to the point that he was seeing darkness.

With a sigh, Marianna closed her eyes for a second before placing Gintoki on the ground. Gintoki just stared into the open, his eyes blank and his head empty. He was now a husk of his former self. A husk who would just stare into nothing and ate or shit when he wants to.

Gintoki has never talked to Marianna for week now. This made Marianna worried in a way, after all he is her symbiote, he is an extension of her. With her symbiote acting this way, it won't be long before Marianna too will be affected by it.

"Gintoki..." Marianna called him in a whisper, aligning her eyes with his.

However, his eyes were just empty. Cold and empty.

~o~

Eventually they arrived at Gintoki's new apartment room after the old one was destroyed by Marianna's sister, Pacific. Gintoki on his own moved the things that were still usable from the old apartment room to the new one. The sofa, the cabinets, the utensils, and the furniture covers were transfered on the new room. The destroyed one's like the refrigerator or the flat screen TV were sold to the scrap yard.

Though it did shocked Gintoki at first when he realized that he could carry the heavy sofa on his own.

Marianna placed Gintoki on a green sofa overlooking the ocean. It was already night and the sky was covered with pinkish colored clouds indicating that it was about to rain. In haste, Marianna closed the balcony sliding door and the windows overlooking the ocean.

"Since we ate something would you like to drink a cup of water? Coffee perhaps? I know you like coffee especially the ones that come in a purple can..." Marianna says softy.

Gintoki didn't answer, he just stared silently into the dark ocean.

Marianna closed her eyes and rolled her lips. Her hands slowly squeezing inward, trying her best to contain the feelings from bursting. It was her fault that Gintoki was in this state. It was her fault, it was her fault in the first place. It is her fault that Gintoki has turned senile...

"Gintoki..." Marianna muttered in a low fleeting voice, "Please say something...Say anything I don't mind..."

Still no answer.

Losing all hope, Marianna let out an exasperated sigh before storming towards the room where Gintoki has placed his bed. With her head burrowed onto the soft mattress of Gintoki's bed, Marianna's stomach rumbled loudly when she turned horizontally.

The hunger has already made a toll on her. Marianna unbuttoned the white circles on her long sleeve and pulled them to the side. She then leaned her head upward, peeking on her stomach. She could already see the silhouettes of her intestines and just below her chest is a very visible ribcage. Marianna groaned when she saw her innards silhouetting into the open.

Marianna can no longer consume human flesh to keep her hunger at bay. For seven days she went to a feeding spree just to subdue her hunger but her body could no longer process human flesh. Nor suffice her hunger by eating human meals. Although she can eat them just fine but her body cannot process the nutrients that were stored on to the human food.

Be it ten humans in a single day, twenty, or maybe sixty she can't do anything to her hunger. Marianna slammed a fist into the mattress, infuriated. In the past she could break the mattress in half with a single fist but now the mattress just recoiled the force back, she was no longer in her top form, she wss now frail, helpless.

Slowly the exhausted empress closed her eyes and let her heavy body to rest. Although she could feel unknown presences around the building she just didn't mind them. Marianna was too tired to deal with them and she wouldn't have to be worried with Gintoki, after all only she could see him while others can't perceive him.

As Marianna doze off the lifeless Gintoki silently gazed on the dark ocean in front of him. The ocean was calling him again, like an echoing cave calling his name.

Not only could he hear his name being called he could also hear a soft lullaby. He already knew where this lullaby came from, he knew whom it belonged to.

Marianna explained everything to him. From the time when he was killed to the moment when he could no longer process human food.

He couldn't believe it at first but then he visited Tae on her apartment and knocked on her door, only to realize that Tae couldn't see nor hear him.

At that moment something inside his broke, like a fragile glass dropped from a high-rise building.

If Tae couldn't perceive him then that also means that his mother too could not perceive him. No one can, only the woman that turned him into a thing that she calls a symbiote.

Seven days it has been and Toshiki Gin didn't have the strength to live anymore. He couldn't see the purpose of his existence it was as if he was erased from the world completely, without his consent. But the world would even bother asking for his consent if he was to be erased? Toshiki Gin summed that the world wouldn't even bother asking.

So the nineteen year old college dropput named Toshiki Gin decided to fuck it.

And just like that Gintoki wondered inisde his dark riddled mind. Wondering, wondering how things became this way.

"Tae..." Gintoki silently mumbled. Remembering her long black hair and amazing smile. Her long and elegant legs and boyishly look.

He yearned for it. Yearned for her to see him again, yearned for her to call his name. He yearned for her embrace but to no avail.

Gintoki knew that if he was to suffice this yearning he either has to do break the rules of this world or bend the rules in such a manner that a loophole could be observe. But how would he do that he doesn't know...

"Gintoki..." A woman called his name, "I've already told you before. No matter what you try and do, that woman will never see you again."

"What do you know...?" Gintoki asked.

"Your thoughts. I can hear them. They are like an annoying saxophone playing an off-tune note that only I can hear. It's driving me crazy, Gintoki. However I will confront you with this again as long as I could..." Marianna paused and let out a sigh. Her eyes staring at Gintoki's eyes l, filled with sadness and regret, "No one will ever...ever...see you in your previous form."

Gintoki silently listened to her with his gaze fixed on the dark ocean. A few moments later the thick clouds cleared up revealing a boring looking moon. A moon hued with blue luminance. No, this is not normal Gintoki thought. That blue moon did not exist before. Not in the science textbooks nor in the Wikipedia. It was a heavenly body, more mysterious than the ninth planet of the Solar system.

Silently crept above the said blue moon is another moon, a white-pale normal moon.

Yes. Gintoki thought as he watches the two moons silently gazing towards the ocean. Earth does not have two heavenly satellites orbiting around it. It used to have a single moon, that pale boring moon thats been around for over millions of years.

And just like that boring white moon, Gintoki himself was replaced with a thing that used to have not existed. Just like that blue moon, a thing that could not be explained.

"Give me back my place in this world." Gintoki coldly says.

Marianna stared, watched, gazed, and silently listened to the man that she calls an extension of herself. The man stood up on his own two feet and approached her with his black empty eyes. Eyes that used to have a bit of adventure within them, eyes that used to have vigor and life.

"Gintoki..." Marianna muttered, avoiding Gintoki's gaze.

" . .back." Gintoki elaborated, his voice coarse and cold.

~o~

Tachibana Tae returned home late at night despite the fact that the soldiers and nonexistent police officers ordered its citizens to go home early.

The curfew included the office workers, students, and other occupations that kept the city of Hiroshima on going.

By the time eight in the evening arrived, garrison soldiers from the Western Army would patrol the empty streets and had orders to shoot anyone who are spotted walking on the streets without their _Identification Cards._

The reason was simple. The abyssals have already landed on Japanese soil. The Kyushu has already fallen to the abyssals a few weeks ago. A lot of civilians died, and only around 300 civilians managed to escape the carnage-half of them have political backgrounds. The normal human beings that lived on Kyushu were not so fortunate.

With multiple homicide cases popping out in Hiroshima the Army that was garrisoned in Hiroshima decided to establish a curfew speculating that abyssals have broken through the frontline and slipped in between the dark alleyways.

So far they managed to kill four abyssals, however it still does not explain the other 2000 homicide cases that infected the silent city of Hiroshima.

"I still can't contact him, Mr. Hashiba." Says the exhausted looking girl on the phone.

"We are trying out best, Miss Tachibana. There are many clients with the same case as yours and our manpower are already stretched thin. Please understand that the investigation will take time." Explained a cold voice in the telephone.

"I understand." Tachibana Tae replied with a cold tone.

A buzzing sound could be heard coming out of the telephone but it didn't bother her one bit. With a silent gulp and a scratch at the back of her neck, she placed the telephone back to its rack and left it there to rest.

Tachibana Tae felt exhausted after working nine hours straight for seven days. For the first time she finally felt what the working folk felt just to get money to feed themselves or feed their families. She regretted calling them cowards for not joining the war to defeat the abyssals. The working folks also had to face their own problems in life, not just the soldiers who are always on the frontline.

"I should get a shower." Tachibana Tae thought after sniffing herself for a single time, regretting it.

Limply, Tachibana Tae approached her living room located at the center of her apartment room, separated from the hallway and her kitchen by a drywall that was painted blue. She preferred the lighter shade of blue, it made her feel relaxed in a psychological way. In the past she painted it with a darker shade of green in accordance of her first boyfriend's suggestion, only to feel irritated by it every time she came home from class.

If it weren't for Gintoki's hard work and personal finances the dark green paint would've still remain up to this date. Right now the paint is blue, just like how she liked it.

Tachibana Tae stared at the flat screen TV and turned it on. Then for a second a buzzing sound could be heard again but it disappeared quickly like it just went and gone. On the screen was a man that Tachibana Tae didn't recognize. It was another news anchor probably recently hired since the previous one was found dead on a random alley with his contents sprawled on the ground.

The man had a gray hair despite his age. He was wearing a baggy trench coat and wool cap reminiscent to those European painters. Tachinaba Tae immediately thought of a certain TV actor that had the same style as the news anchor but she forgot the name of that certain anchor.

"Old school..." Tachibana Tae thought unfastening the buttons of her blouse.

In fluid motion she removed the blouse and exposed her black bra and fair skin. She let out a sigh realizing how pitiful her body was. Gently she placed both of her hands on her stomach and pinched on the fat that was accumulated there. She was indeed irritated, she thought she maintained a healthy balance but, no, she regained 20 kilograms of weight in just seven days. From her proud weight of 50 kilograms in the past to an irritating 70 kilograms today.

"I need to stop doing stress eating." She thought.

But you can't blame her. Because she works in a bakery, and nine hours per day she would always see cakes that will make her stomach rumble. Tachibana Tae was a binge eater when it comes to cakes and other pastries, basically anything that is sweet.

Gintoki rehabbed her to control her binge eating but without him around, it appears that her old self was now resurfacing. No, she can't rely on Gintoki any longer. She is already twenty years old, she is basically what you call a young adult. A responsible young adult, she must learn to carry her own problems and not just rely on others to fix them for her.

"Yes, tomorrow morning I need to finish what I started. I must eat that caramel cake! No! I must exercise." She declared with a determined look.

However, it was still hard for her. It is hard for her to do it alone. Tachibana Tae grew up as pampered girl, pampered by three idiots who thought that they were raising her properly.

Tachibana Tae fell silent, ignoring the news anchor that has been talking about the recent killings in Hiroshima. She wasn't listening to the world around her anymore, she didn't care anymore.

The twenty year old literature student, Tachibana Tae, has lost everything. She has lost any form of reasoning to remain in this world. She finally decided to give up.

Gave up on the world that she thought was reasonable for her.

A world that now has two moons.

Blue hued and a pale boring moon.

"What a funny world am I living in." She thought looking at the ceiling with blue paint.

She could only smile at the empty boring ceiling, with tears on her eyes.

Lost in dome of apathy, a chime entered her eardrums. Tachibana Tae stared at the brown painted front door of her apartment room. It was six foot tall, four feet wide boring door. At the center of the said door was a peephole that was camouflage at the outside. She wondered who it might be, after all its already late in the evening.

Shaking her head, Tachibana Tae went to her room and took a white tank top to cover her exposed upperbody. She then decreased the volume of her television and went straight to the door. She then leans into the peephole, wondering who it might be. But there was no one there. Tachinaba Tae wondered in confusion, was she just imagining it? Did that chime came from neighbor's door?

There was only one thing to find out. Using her right hand, Tachibana Tae swung the door open and poked her head outside. But she didn't see anyone outside, was it just her imagination then or just a tasteless prank done by the neighbor's kids?

Either way there was no point for her to keep her front door open.

"Annoyances..." Tachibana Tae mumbled as she turn around and froze on the spot.

Tachibana Tae is woman that could be considered taller than most women. She has a fair skin and a developed body. She does manual labor after all; working in a bakery that requires a lot of manual labor, and due to her current job she had what you call _exercised_ _muscles_. She also has the right amount of fat distributed all over her body, that includes her upperbody, lowerbody, and the four limbs.

She was what you call...

A juicy evening meal, even for _him_.

Standing in front of her was something that she herself couldn't describe. With her simple mind she could only point out a couple of facts. It was black, it was big, no that is not right description. The thing in front of her was like water occupying the available space that was given to it. The stench was so bad that Tachibana Tae almost threw up on the spot but she held it in by sheer will. It was something that made her brain wear out, she can't properly perceive the thing that was in front of her. Her simple brain can't describe the thing using complex nor simple words. It was a thing that can't be explain. Something...that's not supposed to be existing.

And just by staring at it, Tachinaba Tae felt her brains giving up. Her head twisted in confusion and her eyes throbbing in pain. She closed her eyes but the pain was still there. She must get away, she must...

Tachibana Tae used all of her willpower to turn around and open the door behind her, dropping into the floor before kicking the door close. In the commotion the neighbors came out of their apartment rooms and stared at her in confusion.

"No don't look at it!" Tachibana Tae screamed.

The brown boring door crept open wide. The neighbors that was just outside the door immediately let out a pained scream as they saw what Tachibana Tae saw. The father vomited blood on the ground before collapsing and the mother cried a river of blood. The children seemed to have not affected by this and only watched their parents in bewilderment.

Tachibana Tae did not dare turning around, she knew that it could happen to her too if she kept staring at it.

"Get away...I must get away." Tachibana Tae screamed on her head.

Crawl, crawl further away from the thing. She groaned as she leaned against the wall keep her eyes close, she can feel it coming closer like a vengeful aura. Tachibana Tae opened her eyes a bit, her vision hued in red.

The building had only five floors and no elevator. With a rotating mind, she had to use the stairs to get to the ground floor and eventually escape from it.

With heavy steps and erratic breathing, Tachibana Tae jogged on the floors one step after another. She could no longer feel the dark aura behind her but she knew she need to put distance between them. Eventually she reached the ground floor, passing-by some neighbors from the third floor. She yelled at them to run away, to close their eyes, and not to climb up but they ignored her.

Using the remaining strength that she had left she pushed the entrance of the building open revealing the dark empty street of Hiroshima. Store lights are still lit up and soldiers could be seen patrolling the street. It was already way pass the designated curfew and she will be shot no questions asked. And her luck was not on her side, as soon she came out of the building soldiers that were strolling outside immediately spotted her.

"Hands on the air and show your ID now!" A coarse voiced man yelled immediately pointing his rifle at Tachibana Tae.

"W-wait! Don't shoot!" Tachibana Tae immediately shouted back.

The soldiers in green uniform formed a semi-circle and approached her with their rifles pointed at her. Their flashlights lit up and was pointed at her vision directly, making her unable to see their faces.

"The hands now!" The coarse voiced man yelled another before letting out a frightened yelp, pointing his rifle into the air. "What the fuck?!"

In a split second the soldiers disappeared from her view. The six soldiers that formed a semi-circle around her disappeared without a trace.

With a stunned look on her face, Tachibana Tae could no longer sustain her balance and she immediately fell on her back, landing on the asphalt with a thud. A pool of crimson color surrounded her. The stench was so bad that she could no longer hold her nausea in check.

"You're safe" A cold voice entered her ears as she placed both of her hands on the asphalt, vomit on her knees.

"haaa~Haaaa~" Tachibana Tae eventually recovered from her nausea and was able to crawl out of the pool of blood and vomit.

"Hey! Are you hurt?!" Yelled an unknown voice.

"Please...help...me" Tachibana Tae croaked, her head throbbing in pain and her throat coarse.

"Hang on we'll find you an ambulance!" Another voice came to her ears.

She could no longer see the faces of the people that carried her. But she can still see vividly at the _black shadow_ that came to her...It was looking at her, in its humanoid figure, its face covered in shadow and the eye sockets hollowed with white light.

~o~

Between the Lines

With her face still bearing a smile, when the elevator doors closed the smile was replaced with a scorn. She did not expect that the mask would work, at first she was indeed prepared to fight the symbiote on her own. She was prepared to loose a couple of her limbs just to neuter the symbiote but she decided to just play it off.

She had a different mission, and the abduction of former Pilot. Giyo Matsuhara helped them in this mission.

"Hello" A voice echoed out of the phone's in-built microphone.

"Made contact with the new symbiote. Requesting direct communication with Akashi and Admiral Goto this minute." The woman urged on the receiver.

"Affirmative, establishing connections now."

It took a couple of seconds before the connection was established.

"What is it? Why is a agent from the Imperial Guards went to great lengths to contact me?" A menacing voice could be heard behind the phone.

The female agent smiled as she placed her hand in her pockets. On the said pocket was a photograph of the symbiote that she encountered.

"Admiral, you have a parasite in Hiroshima right now. You might want to send the pink haired wife of yours to pluck the parasite out of this city before it spreads." The female agent spoke with a tone of dread.

"A symbiote..."Admiral Goto coldly says.

"If this parasite is not dealt with..."

"I understand" Admiral Goto interjected cutting connection with the Imperial Guard Agent.

The agent only sighed as she crushed the smart-phone on her hand and dropped it on the floor of the elevator. A smile was then painted on her face when the elevator doors opened.


	10. Report 09-28-177

**Report 09-28-177**

* * *

 **Somewhere in Tokyo**

 **April 27, 2050**

Let's start from the beginning. On **January 12, 1999** a faint seismic wave was detected by a lone radio station located on a small lab on Hawaii. Back then the people that were working on that lab assumed the reading as normal, summing it as a _usual volcanic seismic wave._ No one could blame them, after all Hawaii itself is basically a volcano turned island. What really happened back then was much more different than what they thought.

Located approximately 10,994 meters beneath the waves of the Central Pacific is the famous Marianna's Trench. A trench so deep that the tallest mountain on earth, Mount Everest would fit on it. On the deep abyss of that trench happened the _great culling,_ that's what the Abyssal Empress described it. Living at the deepest place on the planet lived an old organism much older than the dinosaurs or the bacterial organisms that thrived before earth became green and flushed with life.

The _abyssal empress_ called their race Abymos or [][][][] in their own language. Their race...was once ruled by two _Great Ones_ , apex monstrosities that lived much longer than the bacterias itself that were born when earth was still a hash wasteland. Cthulhu, the first of his name is the first _Great One_ to be born in Earth and has ruled the Pacific Ocean for many years. He himself saw the extinctions of many organism on Earth and has saw many phenomenons not written in Human History. Nobody in the Abymos race knew what Cthulhu's form was, because by the time the captured Abyssal Empress was born in this planet he was no longer present.

Valak, first of her name is the second _Great One_ that ruled the Pacific Ocean together with the first _great one_ Cthulhu. She was described as a jet black apex Abymos with spider like limbs stretching at least 500 meters in length and 20 meters in thickness. She has 12 of these apparently and are connected to her back like a porcupine. The abyssal empress did not explain Valak's appearance in detail, explaining that the _queen's body is indescribable using land dweller's words._ However she did point out that Valak was much more bigger than Cthulhu and much more violent.

In the past there were two distinct _features_ that differentiates an Abymos' origin. She explained that an Abymos can be identified as a creation of Cthulhu if the body is mostly made of white and jet black if created by Valak. It was said that there was a great split between the two faction. It began when Valak suggested a migration to the many island and continents that filled the young planet. Cthulhu knowing that an expansion to the surface would only bring carnage to the already living organisms on the surface greatly opposed the proposition. Valak was not backing down on the idea. The next morning Valak sent her minions to the surface and formed a colony on South America called _first_. Using the coordinates that she gave to us we were able to locate the so called colony on present day Ecuador.

Enrage by this, Chutlhu attacked the isolated colony igniting the so called _great culling_ between the two Abymos faction. The war lasted for about a century but in the end, it was Valak who won the war. Effectively, she erased Chutlhu's minions from the face of the earth, leaving only Valak's creations to prosper. However this reduced Valak's minions to some extent. Wounded and tired, she went into a deep slumber until the fateful day **March 26, 2012.**

The day the man named James Cameron made contact with the Abymos.

James Cameron described them on his first contact with creatures as resembling black ink floating in water. No prominent features other than their glowing red eyes and disturbingly sharp tentacles. Those were the last words James Cameron ever uttered on live camera before he suddenly disappeared without a trace. Multiple search parties were sent to find the missing man to no avail. The search went on for five years and it was disputed whether the search was for James Cameron or the creatures that he discovered at the depths of the Pacific Ocean.

The hunt went cold on **June 11th, 2016** and a sorrowful ceremony was made in Canada, in memory of James Cameron's disappearance on the Marianna's Trench.

But the story did not end there.

 _They_ managed to find the creatures approximately 200 meters away from James Cameron's last coordinates, hidden underneath a cave that expanded deeper into the sediment rocks. It was decided that a mini-nuke will be detonated there to destroy the entrance leading to the cave system.

On **December 20, 2046** the mini-nuke was detonated destroying the entrance but also the cave system that was covering it. Not a few hours later, _they_ came out of hiding and thus the story began.

 **April 27, 2047**. Operation Sum enacted. First successful summoning of a _shipgirl_ done by Admiral Arimato Goto. First shipgirl to be summoned, Atago.

 **December 23-24, 2047**. Creatures hued in jet black emerged from the oceans and attacked the nearby towns and cities of every country on the planet. In just a single day millions were lost and major armies were battered and crippled.

 **December 25, 2047**. South America became silent. Scout planes sent on South America took pictures of the lost countries of Venezuela, Brazil, Argentina and others being filled with creatures from the sea. The Amazon forest filled with gray fluid and millions of three feet eggs scattered across the vast former rain forest.

 **January 1, 2048**. Operation Humanity was enacted. All nukes from every major powers were thrown at South America hoping to sterilize the continent and prevent the creatures from increasing in numbers. The Operation succeeded however on this day also Ireland, UK, as well as Norway were declared _Abyssal Territory_ after communications with these countries were lost.

 **February 10, 2048**. Operation Go enacted. Shipgirls were sent to the frontlines, current strength were ten shipgirls plus one submarine.

 **February 16, 2048**. Communications from other major countries such as Russia, China, and the United States were severed. The internet was lost and shipping routes were constantly attacked by the Abyssals.

 **June 22, 2048**. First Battle of Okinawa ended in failure with over 300,000 casualties and the loss of the Japanese 1st Fleet. Alaska was liberated by the 3rd American Marines and were able to communicate with the Japanese Shipgirls currently on patrol on the Northern Sea. Anchorage became a heavily fortified base on Alaska with four shipgirls on standby. On this day also the Northern Trade Route was also established.

 **March 20, 2048**. Operation Rus enacted, a small fleet consisting of six shipgirls managed to reach Vladisvostok, a port on Russia's eastern lands.

 **March 30, 2048**. Connection with the Russian Empire was established and the internet rebooted connecting major countries on Europe and some countries on Asia.

 **October 7, 2048**. Operation Volcano. First Battle of Iwo Jima ended with over 10,000 casualties, island taken by the abyssals.

 **November 10, 2048**. Operation II. Second battle of Iwo Jima ended with 5,000 casualties, island retaken from the abyssals using shipgirls as escorts for the invasion.

 **March 19, 2049**. Subject: Toshikii Gin was able to encounter an Abyssal Empress that was reported to be defeated back in **March 17, 2049**. Subject took care of the Abyssal Empress until his demise on **April 6, 2049.**

 **April 6-9, 2049**. Nagasaki Naval Base attacked by the abyssals and Army Group South vaporized. Kyushu lost, resulting over 20 million civilian and military casualties.

 **February 6, 2050**. Subject: Abyssal Empress Marianna killed by destroyer Shinonome. Abyssal symbiote extracted from the deceased abyssal empress and taken to Akashi's lab in Yokosuka Naval Base.

As of today Akashi and Admiral Goto have been in discussion on what to do with the symbiote now that _he_ was extracted from the abyssal empress. Samples were taken from his body, and from time to time headaches from fellow scientist were reported. A special container was requested to be built by Akashi to prevent the symbiote's psychic attacks from affecting the scientist. Tomorrow another sample will be taken from the symbiote's body, and we were issued gloves to prevent another _accident_ that happened yesterday. Details regarding the said accident are already sent via email.

Dr. Hashimoto Okura, MIT, Phd. Biological Research

 **End of Report**


End file.
